


A Side Nobody Ever Knew

by heartsdesire456



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M, Minor Character Death, Murder, Non-Explicit, Past Mpreg, Past Underage, post 3b
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-22
Updated: 2014-07-22
Packaged: 2018-02-09 21:51:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 28,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1999206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartsdesire456/pseuds/heartsdesire456
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chris learned while in France with Isaac that his father had a hit out on a young beta who was vacationing in the area with his parents. When Chris arrives just in time to save Jackson Whittemore from hunters, he's left questioning why his father cared enough to put a bounty on the boy's head.</p><p>When he returns to California and discovers the truth about why Gerard wants Jackson dead, he discovers something that changes everything he thought he knew about Jackson, the Hales, and his own entire adult life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Side Nobody Ever Knew

**Author's Note:**

> A NOTE! This fic is mildly AU in that Jackson was the one a year older than the others, not Allison. Just a small detail altered for artistic license reasons.

Chris had always questioned the idea of Fate. He had never really bought into the idea that anything was meant to happen. He had thought once, long ago, when he was young and naïve, that maybe there was a greater power out there, that some things were left to a higher power making things happen the way they did.

But then life had taught him a very different lesson.

His life had been one long road of grief, pain, and loss, if he was honest. He tried to think he lived a good life, he tried to think he did his best to be a good man, but life liked to remind him just when he thought he was safe and comfortable that nothing good could last forever. His first lesson in this came when he took his first kill, back when he was naïve and thought taking a life wouldn’t change him. He learned better. Another lesson came not too many years later, when he learned what a broken heart felt like in his early twenties. He combatted that feeling by settling down and marrying the woman his parents wanted him to marry. Not much later, his mother was killed during a hunt and he first learned what loss really felt like. It would be another decade before he learned how it felt to lose the person you had vowed to protect and, soon after, the person you share your life with. It was like living without a limb. The hardest lesson Chris learned, however, was what it felt like to lose your entire world, the beginning and ending of your most important role in life, the central most cherished thing in the whole world, and the one love that outweighs all loves in the past or future. 

Losing his little girl had been like having a piece of jagged, white-hot metal shoved into his chest and twisted every time he even started to forget the pain. 

The one thing that Chris had always cared most about in the entire world was keeping is daughter safe. And losing her was like ripping his spine from his body and expecting it to still know how to walk. He held it together for the mission at hand, but when that was over, when the dust had settled, Chris was faced with the reality of having nothing left in the world. For seventeen years Chris had spent every waking moment doing the things he did to try and protect his daughter from the people out there that would harm her, and in the end, he failed. 

And his failure cost him his entire world. 

When he made the choice to leave Beacon Hills, he took Isaac with him because, just like him, Isaac was alone. Sure, he had McCall and his mother, but after all the things that Isaac had faced, Chris didn’t blame him one bit for wanting to get away from the shit show that was Beacon Hills. Chris had nobody left and no reason to say no to Isaac when he asked if he could come with him. He didn’t know him well, but if nothing else, he could save Isaac where he failed saving his daughter. 

Their travels to France, so that Chris could search for answers from the old country, were never meant to dissolve into wild goose chases and the occasional desperate attempt to flee when hunters tried to kill Isaac. They also were never meant to end in Chris catching wind of his father’s ties to a hunter clan in the French countryside, but almost as soon as he heard the rumors, he discovered they were entirely true. 

Not only were they true, but the hunters – a distant cousin’s family – were after a werewolf that was on vacation with their human family. All he and Isaac knew was that it was a young male traveling with two humans. They had no better clues than that and the fact that the hunters were heading to Alsace. Normally Chris wouldn’t bother intervening, except this time the word was that Gerard had ordered this hunt from back in California and nobody knew what caused it. The kid hadn’t killed anyone as far as the hunters knew, but Gerard ordered it, so they were carrying it out.

When Chris and Isaac finally found the hunters, they thought it was too late at first. There were gunshots and a roar and, as they burst into the garden shed behind a large home where the werewolf must’ve ran for cover, they found three humans on the ground, two hunters trying to get a shot at a werewolf holding another hunter in front of him like a shield, and no sign that the werewolf had been doing anything to warrant attack.

When Chris and Isaac came into the fray, the two hunters couldn’t decide where to aim.

“Look, let’s take it easy,” Chris tried, gun on the hunter that was aiming at Isaac. “Let’s just talk about things-“

“Now look here, Argent, we have our orders,” one of them argued, and the werewolf backed into the corner jumped at the sound of his name, eyes going from the gun aimed at him to Chris’s face for the first time.

Isaac stood up straighter at Chris’s side. “Jackson?” he asked in shock.

The boy’s face shifted back to a human face and Chris recognized him. “Lahey? Mr. Argent?” Jackson asked shakily. “Wha-what-“

He was cut off as the hunter in his grip took the distraction and ripped away. “NOW!” he cried as he dove to the ground, but Chris didn’t waste time to see what would happen, he just shot the one aiming at Isaac and then the one aiming at Jackson without hesitation.

The one now on the floor scrambled up, backing away with wide, terrified eyes. “You- you shot them!” he cried, and Chris sighed heavily.

“And they would’ve shot these kids.”

The hunter’s eyes darkened. “They’re fucking werewolves-“

“They’re also children,” Chris said simply. He nodded to the side. “Go now and I won’t shoot you too.” He didn’t wait around to see if Chris was serious, he just fled the shed.

As soon as he was gone, Jackson looked over at the dead humans on the ground and staggered some before falling to his knees. “No,” he whispered and Chris looked at them better. One had been attacked, his throat slit, but the man and woman furthest away had bullet holes in their heads. Chris looked back and saw tears streaming down the kid’s face. He let out a weak sound and put his face in his hands. “ _Mom_ ,” he whimpered and Chris immediately understood.

Isaac gasped softly. “Mr. and Mrs. Whittmore,” he muttered to Chris, who nodded.

Chris walked over to where the boy was looking at his parents and crying and squatted down beside him. “Are you okay?” he asked gently and the boy looked up, anger warring with grief in his eyes.

“Why did they kill my parents?! They- they just tried to protect me,” he growled through his gritted teeth. “Hunters don’t kill humans-“

“These do,” Chris said simply. “Some don’t care who they kill if it means furthering their cause.”

Jackson let out a weak sob. “Why my mom and dad?”

Chris swallowed hard because he knew how easy it was to want to know why. He knew how easy it was to want a reason or an explanation, when the reality of it all was that there was none. There was no ‘why’, there was no reason or rhyme to it. He didn’t believe in Fate and he didn’t think there was any better way to explain in that the way he did.

“There is no reason for why this stuff happens the way it happens, Jackson. It just does.”

~

It took a week for the local police to release Chris, Isaac, and Jackson to go with Jackson back to his parents’ home in London. The story they spun was as close to the truth as the police could handle: Chris and Isaac were coming to visit and heard gunshots. When they got to the shed, they found Jackson’s parents dead and two men holding guns on Jackson (They had disposed of the werewolf-murdered body). When they turned and started to fire, Chris shot them both in self-defense. It took a week for the police to finally get confirmation that Chris had cleared it with the French government to be allowed to carry a weapon since he was officially in the country as a weapons dealer. 

It took another two weeks of helping Jackson deal with lawyers both in London and from back home before things were settled. Jackson was the beneficiary of his parents Wills and the life insurance policies, but because he was in Europe on a Visa linked to his father’s work, he had to go back to California since his father was now dead. The house in London was paid for by his father’s firm so he wasn’t allowed to apply for a new Visa and stay, so it was easier to just go home to California. 

Chris hadn’t planned on getting involved or staying involved after rescuing Jackson, he had wanted to go straight back to confront Gerard, but Isaac had reminded him that if they left, chances were the hunters would return. So after nearly one month, they all three traveled back to Beacon Hills together.

~

Returning to his apartment and seeing Allison’s coat still on the coat rack first thing through the door finally seemed to break something in Chris. He hadn’t been expecting it so there was no warning at all to the boys with him when he simply stopped in the hallway and stared as tears began to streak his face. Jackson started to ask, but Chris vaguely heard Isaac whispering something strained and then leading Jackson back out into the hallway outside the apartment.

Chris wasn’t sure how long he stood there, staring at her coat, but he knew that the whole time all he could think about was how he wasn’t a father any more. For seventeen years he’d fought to be the best dad he could, to raise his little girl right, and to teach her how to be ready for the world out there, but now none of that would ever be tested, because his little girl would never grow up. She was gone. And when she went, a part of him went with her.

For the first time, he was happy that Victoria was dead, because she had been his closest friend for eighteen years, and he wouldn’t have wished the feeling of losing a child on even his worst enemy.

~

Jackson looked around the office, glancing over at Isaac in the opposite chair, and then at Chris, who was sitting behind his desk with a glass of bourbon and his computer in front of him. “I can’t believe Allison is really… Jesus.” He shook his head. “What about- what about all the others?”

Isaac shook his head. “Erica and Boyd are dead, too,” he said, smiling bitterly. “Of Derek’s Betas, it’s just us,” he said, looking at Jackson. “And Derek’s not an alpha anymore.” Jackson raised an eyebrow. “He did something. To save his sister-“

“The dead one?” Jackson asked skeptically, blue eyes narrowing, and Isaac rolled his eyes.

“No, a living one. She was sick and dying and Derek saved her. But he became a beta. She left, too, though,” he explained. “They all left, Derek and Peter and Cora, and then only Derek and Peter came back. Derek and I… we didn’t really talk after that so I don’t know where she went.” 

Jackson just shook his head. “Derek Hale is the worst thing that ever happened to Beacon Hills-“

“No,” Chris interrupted, smiling bitterly. “That would be my father,” he gritted out. “The one who had your parents killed. The one who had Derek’s family killed. The one who had my sister turned into a psychopath. The one who had my wife kill herself. The one who indoctrinated my daughter into all this bullshit when I tried to keep her out of it!” Both boys jumped when Chris stood abruptly, throwing his glass so it shattered against the wall. “That bastard is the source of everything that’s ever ruined my life. Force me into a life of hunting, force me to marry another hunter’s daughter, force me to watch my baby sister fall into the insanity of it all, force me to kill people who never hurt anybody just to prove I’m not still too soft, force _my baby girl_ into hating someone who did nothing but defend himself because her mother listened to my father when he forced her to think she had to commit suicide!” he shouted angrily, pacing behind his desk. “And now that bastard has ruined another family’s lives.” He shook his head, chest heaving. “I should’ve let him die. When he was controlling you as the Kanima, when McCall poisoned him, I should’ve let him die,” he choked out, turning to Jackson with guilt in his eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry he had made you suffer so much. I know what it feels like,” he said shakily, tears in his hollow eyes. “He took everything from you the same way he in one way or another took everything from me. But I promise,” he said, voice cracking. “I promise I’ll find out why. I’ll find out why he couldn’t let you go. He ruined your life here, I’ll find out why he had to hunt you down and finish the job.”

Jackson’s chin quivered slightly as he fought so hard not to break, but he nodded, swallowing hard. “T-Thank you,” he managed weakly, which only seemed to hurt Chris further when he plopped back down and started typing again, ignoring the bourbon and glass all over the floor while the two boys sat in silence and followed his lead.

~

When Chris walked into his father’s room at the retirement home, he had every intention of killing him. He wanted to find out what about Jackson angered him so terribly and then finally rid the world of Gerard Argent’s poison once and for wall. 

However, when he got there, Gerard was sitting at the table, seemingly waiting on him. “When I received word my hunters had been killed, I wondered when I’d be seeing you,” he said, and Chris sat down across from him heavily. 

“Why did you order a hit on that kid?” Chris asked flat out. 

Gerard crossed his hands on the table, tilting his head at Chris. “I thought he was dead after the Hale’s killed the Kanima. When I found out the boy was alive… well,” he sighed, making a faux regretful face. “He had to go. When I managed to have him located, I ordered the hit immediately.”

Chris made a disgusted sound. “But why? Was it because he was a loose end? He was all the way in England for good with his family. What harm could he do? You obviously don’t give a shit about werewolves since you were going to become one. What did that boy do to deserve what you’ve done? Now he’s eighteen and an orphan. Congratulations, you murdered two humans. Good job, Gerard.”

Gerard gave him a dark, somewhat vicious chuckle. “Argent blood in something that isn’t human is an abomination. The boy was marked for death from the moment he was bitten.”

Chris’s brain shorted out for a moment and he just stared, trying to understand what Gerard was saying. “Wait… Argent blood? What are you even talking about?”

“The boy was adopted by the Whittmores,” Gerard said darkly. 

Chris frowned. “But how? Kate was too young to have a baby when this kid was born and I was…” He trailed off, knowing he _couldn’t_ say that to Gerard.

Gerard’s repulsed expression, however, sent a trill of dread through Chris. “And you were with a man then, oh trust me, I know,” he said and Chris’s expression turned to stone. Gerard raised an eyebrow. “Have you never heard of a male born wolf conceiving?” he asked, and Chris’s eyes shot up to meet his.

“A male anything cannot conceive-“

“Very, very rarely. One in a million chance or the like. Only possible on the full moon for about a twenty- minute period. Only one who can conceive in nearly ten generations of a pack,” Gerard said, revulsion in his eyes. “And you had to pick the one Hale in history that could conceive.”

Chris’s heart clenched painfully and the hairs on his arms stood up. “What are you saying?” he asked blankly and Gerard grimaced.

“I didn’t find out for some years. A pack we took down in Oregon offered me information for the lives of their children,” he said and Chris felt a wave of nausea over the idea of the horrors Gerard had committed. “They had heard about an oddity with a Hale cub. It was born from a born wolf, but it wasn’t a cub, it was born human. The rumors were of the young Hale beta conceiving though he was male.” He fixed Chris a glare. “I knew you were sneaking around with that beast. That mongrel. I knew what the implications of a child existing were. I tried very hard to pin something on the Hale pack.” He explained and Chris was struck by a horrible realization.

“You- you had the house burned down because one of the children might have been of Argent blood,” he breathed in shock. He looked at Gerard closer. “You- you _murdered_ an entire pack of innocent people – and used Kate to do it – because you have to be rid of an Argent child with werewolf blood _even if it was human_?!”

Gerard shrugged. “Turns out it was all for nothing. The Hale’s didn’t keep the child. When it was born, it was put up for adoption. I worked that out when I was controlling the Kanima. The Whittmore boy is the human child the Hale’s gave away. A human born to wolves is never meant to be bitten. The bite always goes wrong. A Kanima can come from other problems, but any human cub bitten by an Alpha dies or becomes a Kanima. The body can’t handle the bite.” He grunted. “Unfortunately, they discovered how to save the boy and turn him into a wolf. And now you’ve ruined my hit on the boy.” He scoffed. “And now an Argent wolf exists,” he spat and Chris gritted his teeth as he stood.

“If what you say is true, that boy is your _grandchild_ ,” he hissed. 

“And so what? He’s a beast.” Gerard smirked. “Next time I plan a hit, I’ll be sure that the boy dies,” he said loftily and Chris chuckled darkly, reaching into his jacket as he walked around the table slowly.

“Oh I don’t know about that,” he drawled, and then, before Gerard could move, Chris shoved a syringe into his neck and pressed the plunger. Gerard gasped and struggled for a moment, and Chris leaned close, eyes glistening. “I don’t necessarily believe you, but if what you say is true Jackson is my son.” He turned to whisper in Gerard’s ear. “I’ve lost one child already. I’ll be damned if it happens again in this lifetime.”

Chris waited for Gerard to go limp, for his eyes to roll back and his lungs to breathe their last breath before he calmly pocketed the syringe, straightened his jacket, and left without another hesitation.

~

Chris had spent so long trying to forget about Peter Hale as anything other than the threat he had become. He spent so much time trying to pretend that part of his life didn’t happen. That year of youthful naivety and stupid mistakes didn’t even haunt Chris, because when it ended, he immediately buried the memories deep down and covered them with his new life.

But as he drove, he couldn’t stop thinking about how much some impossible male werewolf pregnancy made things suddenly make sense. Nothing about the idea of a male anything being pregnant made sense, but nothing about his relationship with Peter had made sense at the end, and he’d been left feeling like an idiot.

He couldn’t help but wonder if maybe this _could_ be real.

 _Chris sat at his desk, cleaning the disassembled parts of his new rifle, fingers smudged and dirty as he oiled the trigger mechanism, when there was a tap at his window. He twisted quickly, eyes wide, only to pale rapidly when he saw the face outside his window. He rushed to check his door was locked before going to open the window. “Oh my God, get in here, are you_ insane _?!” he hissed, grabbing Peter by his collar and yanking him through the open window. He ignored the undignified yelp as Peter fell onto the floor and shut the widow, drawing the curtains over it in case his dad came home from the night’s patrol and saw in the window._

_“Gee, thanks, Chris, wonderful greeting.” Peter stood up and rubbed at his shoulder. “Glad you’re happy to see me-“_

_“Peter, what are you doing here?!” Chris asked and Peter rolled his eyes, walking over to flop across Chris’s bed, kicking off his shoes and crossing his arms behind his head._

_“Oh relax, I made sure Daddy Dearest wasn’t around,” he said, smiling up at Chris, who gave him an annoyed look. “What? C’mon.” he reached out and grabbed Chris’s hand, tugging him until he gave in and crawled onto the bed beside Peter. “Admit it, you like me sneaking in your window,” he teased, smirking at Chris as he rolled onto his side, propping himself on one elbow._

_Chris narrowed his eyes. “You’re annoying,” he said and Peter just preened._

_“Good, I’m doing my job.”_

_Chris glared for a minute before sighing and sliding down so that Peter could move and lay his head on Chris’s shoulder. “Peter, if someone saw you-“_

_“Nobody saw me, Christopher,” Peter mumbled softly, inhaling deeply before settling with a comfortable sigh curled into Chris’s side. “I made sure your parents were gone and your sister’s asleep.” He tipped his head back some to look up at Chris. “You know, this wouldn’t be such a problem if you weren’t living at home still at twenty-four,” he pointed out._

_Chris rolled his eyes. “Come on, you know what it’s like to live in a family where moving out isn’t really the done thing until you have your own family.”_

_Peter nodded, chin rubbing against Chris’s chest. “Hell, sometimes not even then in my case.” He looked up at Chris, searching his eyes. “Your dad still on you about that girl?” he asked, and Chris gave him a small nod. Peter bit his lip, looking up at Chris. “Chris… what are you going to do?”_

_Chris sighed, shaking his head. “I’m not letting them just marry me to some girl from another hunter family. This is the nineties, and not the ones with seventeen in front of them,” he said and Peter smiled some. Chris slid his fingers into Peter’s hair, playing with the soft strands that slid through his fingers. “Besides, I love you,” he said, and Peter’s smile widened to one that was more real._

_“Sap,” he muttered, tilting his chin up so Chris could lean down and kiss him sweetly. He hummed and sat up a little, hand on Chris’s chest so he could kiss him again. Chris pulled back and stroked his bangs back from his forehead, looking into Peter’s eyes with a warm, content look on his face. Peter closed his eyes and pressed his face into Chris’s hand. “I love you, too, you know?”_

_Chris chuckled and rolled over to pull Peter into his arms, slinging a leg across his thighs. “Obviously, although your decision to sneak in my house and risk your life makes me question how much you really love me,” he grumbled, stroking his hand down Peter’s side as he narrowed his eyes at him. “If my father catches you and you die, do you know what that would do to me?”_

_Peter grinned. “You’re accusing me of not loving you because I risk my life to see you?” he asked skeptically._

_Chris growled playfully, leaning in to kiss Peter. Peter sighed against his lips, curling his hand around Chris’s forearm. “Yes,” Chris muttered, kissing across Peter’s jaw. “Because I can meet you in the forest any time, I can sneak around with you during the day in the forest where it’s safe, and risking your safety to see me is stupid, Peter.” He paused to nip at a spot on Peter’s neck that made him whimper and arch some. “I love you too much to watch you die because of me,” he whispered against his ear._

_Peter shivered, turning to catch Chris’s lips. “Mmmm maybe the thrill of danger turns me on,” he moaned and Chris pulled away some, making Peter frown._

_Chris just shook his head, pulling Peter’s hand to his chest, flattening Peter’s palm over his heart. “This isn’t the kind of ‘danger’ that ends in getting kicked out of the movies for making out in the back row, or handjobs in the dressing rooms at the mall, Peter. If you get caught, you’ll_ die _,” he urged. He shook his head, hand trembling some as he tightened his grip on Peter’s fingers. “Please, Peter. Promise me this is the last time.” His fearful gaze held Peter’s attention. “I can’t lose you, Peter.”_

_Peter could feel the weight of Chris’s words and he nodded, swallowing as his dry throat clicked. “I promise, Christopher.”_

_Chris smiled and leaned down to kiss him again. “Good.”_

Stopped at a red light, Chris couldn’t help but smile sadly at the memories he’d worked to bury. He could remember more clearly than he would have expected to exactly what a young, non-murderous, and slightly more sane Peter had looked like when he slept. He could remember the way he felt in his arms. He had never told a soul about that part of his life. He’d never let on to anybody that he was ever attracted to men, even. Being married to the same woman for eighteen years erased the necessity to confront that part of himself. 

With a pang, Chris could even remember how it felt to think that he and Peter would be together forever.

_Chris grinned as Peter gave up buttoning his shirt and left it hanging half-unbuttoned as he flopped back onto the quilt Chris had spread in the bed of his pickup truck. “Jesus, I’m a werewolf, I shouldn’t be so damn worn out,” Peter sighed and Chris smirked as he walked back around to the tailgate and hopped up on it, holding the shirt he’d retrieved from the ground in his hand rather than putting it on._

_“Well,” Chris said, sitting beside Peter with his back against the truck cab. “Seeing as you managed to throw my shirt all the way down that ravine, you clearly expended a lot of energy just getting me out of my clothes,” he teased, waving his shirt at Peter. “Should try to rein it in when you’re desperate,” he said in a low, husky tone._

_Peter chuckled and whined. “Shut up, it’s not my fault!” He grinned and stretched his arms over his head, arching his back, showing off his still-bare chest in a way that was still just as distracting right after sex as it had been during. “I’m eighteen, not old like you.”_

_Chris sucked his teeth, rolling his eyes. “Shut up, I’m six years older-“_

_“And that makes you old!” Peter joked, grinning as he reached up and patted Chris’s cheek. “I’m gonna start calling you my sugar daddy,” he teased and Chris glared playfully. “Although I’m a rich boy, too, so it’s not like I need an older man to buy me nice things in exchange for sex.”_

_Chris smirked. “Besides, you want me for my body possibly more than I want you for yours, and that’s saying a lot.” Peter moved around until he was laying with his head in Chris’s lap, body perpendicular to Chris’s legs._

_“Well, I don’t_ only _want you for your body,” he admitted with a playful hesitance, mockingly twiddling his thumbs._

_Chris couldn’t help how his insides warmed at Peter’s words. “Yeah, I know,” he said, playing with Peter’s somewhat sweat-damp hair._

_Peter sighed worriedly, turning to press a kiss to Chris’s bare belly. “So tell me, Christopher,” he hummed. “How much longer can you keep putting your father off with this whole ‘marry the huntress’ thing?” he asked. He turned wide, open eyes on Chris, so full of worry and fears that Chris hated seeing on Peter’s face. “How much longer do I get to keep you?”_

_Chris shook his head, cupping Peter’s face in his hand. “I’m not marrying her, Peter. I love you-“_

_“And I know that,” Peter muttered. “But Chris, your father won’t buy into this ‘young and free’ shit forever. If it’s not her, it’ll be some other hunter’s daughter.” He snorted. “Hell, I can’t keep lying to my sister. She knows I’m seeing someone. She has a pretty good idea it’s a man, I think. I have no idea how they’ll react if they find out I’m gay. I mean, she’s a progressive woman, but there’s ‘wear an earring’ and ‘suck cock’,” he said and Chris snorted, unable to help himself even though Peter glared. “Hey, I’m serious-“_

_“Oh I know you are,” Chris chuckled, grinning down at him. “I get it, too. My parents would kill me if they found out I like men, but I’m so much more afraid of the fact you’re a werewolf because ‘kill me’ isn’t as literal as them hunting you down and murdering you if they found out. They wouldn’t give a shit you’re a man, just that you’re a werewolf.” His eyes grew more serious. “What about your sister? If she found out it was me-“_

_“Talia doesn’t feel that way,” Peter interrupted. “She wants to trust hunters. She wants a truce with hunters who follow the Code. She has these idealistic thoughts about how hunters only do what they have to do when a werewolf goes mad.”_

_Chris nodded. “And we do. Maybe not all do, but the Argent Code is taken seriously. We would never hunt someone who didn’t harm a human. I promise.”_

_Peter huffed. “I still just can’t trust that. I trust you,” he clarified when Chris gave him a hurt look. “I know you wouldn’t ever hurt someone who didn’t deserve it, Christopher.” He caught Chris’s hand and kissed his palm. “But you’re you. Not Gerard.”_

_Chris’s jaw clenched. “I’m definitely not Gerard,” he agreed. He stroked his free hand through Peter’s hair, watching him as he relaxed into Chris’s gentle petting. He smiled down at the soft, beautiful face of the lazing man in his lap and couldn’t imagine ever wanting to see anybody else in his place. He couldn’t even begin to fathom the idea of marrying the woman his father wanted him to marry. He couldn’t imagine getting married at all. He didn’t care about anything else in his life, really. He just wanted to be with Peter._

_His heart skipped when he realized that that was it. That was genuinely his greatest desire. “I just want to be with you,” he breathed, and Peter snuck open one eye, peeking up at him._

_“Huh? What’s that?” he asked lazily and Chris curled his fingers around Peter’s jaw, leaning down to kiss him firmly. Peter squeaked and tilted his head up, moaning into his mouth. “Well hello. What’s that for?” he asked._

_Chris couldn’t fight a wave of excitement as he stroked Peter’s hair back from his face. “Let’s leave Beacon Hills.”_

_Peter frowned. “What?”_

_Chris nodded. “We talked about it once. Just you and me leaving and never coming back.”_

_Peter sat up so quickly he nearly headbutted Chris in the face. “Wait,_ what _?!” he all but yelped, turning to look at Chris. “Chris, what do you-“_

_“All I want is you, Peter,” Chris said, reaching out to cup the back of his neck. “I just want to be with you. I don’t care where. I don’t care if we’re alone. I don’t care about anything else but me and you. Together.” He smiled lovingly as Peter seemed to understand what he was saying._

_“Chris…” Peter’s face blossomed into a smile that stole Chris’s breath. “Christopher, are you asking me to run away with you?”_

_Chris nodded, leaning in to rest his forehead against Peter’s. “You’re eighteen, now. We can and nobody can stop us.” He stroked his thumb along Peter’s jaw. “Just me and you. We can go wherever we want to and nobody has to know about it.”_

_Peter laughed happily, throwing his arms around Chris’s neck. “Yes!” he gushed, turning to kiss Chris’s hair, pulling back to cover his face in kisses. “Yes, yes, yes, yes, God yes,” he breathed, kissing Chris hard. “A thousand times yes. I want nothing more.” He pulled back to look at Chris, blinding happiness etched into his every feature. “When though?”_

_Chris hummed, stroking Peter’s side soothingly as he leaned their foreheads together. “You graduate in a month, right?” he asked, and Peter nodded. “I can hold off my dad’s pestering that long, you can hold off your sister’s suspicions that long, and come June, you and I are out of here,” he said and Peter wiggled around, doing a happy dance before catching Chris laughing at him and diving at him, pulling him into a kiss that quickly led to more than that._

_Later, when darkness had fallen long before, and they were trading lazy kisses and trying to ignore that they had to part to go home for the night, Peter turned in Chris’s arms and stroked his cheek with a warm, tender look in his eyes as they skated across Chris’s face._

_“What?” Chris asked softly, fingers tracking patterns across Peter’s_

_Peter shrugged and sighed. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happen to me,” he said simply, making Chris pull him close and hold him tight for just a bit longer._

Remembering how happy he had been hurt. He had thought the whole world was ahead of him. Life was going to be perfect. Just him and Peter and nobody to stand in their way of happiness. He thought that he would spend the rest of his life making Peter happy.

It stung to remember how harshly the illusion had been shattered the same weekend he expected to be gone from Beacon Hills forever.

_Chris was waiting anxiously for Peter at the usual spot in the forest. He sat on the tailgate, tapping out a beat on his thighs was he looked around. One more night of this. In two days, they would meet here just before noon and then leave Beacon Hills for good._

_Chris heard rustling and looked to the left, his chest warming when he saw Peter coming his way. His smile slipped some when he saw the expression on Peter’s face. His jaw was tight and his eyes had bags under them. He looked stressed and tired for some reason. “Peter?” he called, and Peter lifted his head, but as if he’d imagined what he saw before, now Peter’s face bore a smirk. Chris’s skin crawled when he saw the smirk on Peter’s face. It wasn’t his normal one, it looked … darker. “Peter?” he asked again, sliding off the tailgate when Peter got to him. “Are you okay?” he asked._

_Peter’s eyes glinted almost viciously as he stepped closer. “Mmmm, yep,” he said._

_Chris frowned. “Peter, no you’re not. What’s going on?” He reached out to cup his cheek. “Something’s up. Is it your sister?” he asked. “Just two more days,” he said with a small smile. “Then we’re free. Just you and me, Baby.”_

_Peter’s eyes hardened and his lips twisted into almost a snarl. “God, you’re unbelievable,” he said, laughing harshly._

_Chris pulled back, hesitating. “… Peter?” he asked and Peter’s lips twisted into a cruel grin._

_“You’re so_ blind _,” Peter drawled, reaching out to pat Chris’s cheek mockingly. “Man, I played you so good. I cannot believe you fell for this shit for so long.”_

_Chris’s blood ran cold and his heart pounded. “Wh-what? Peter, what are you- This isn’t funny.”_

_“Oh, it’s funny,” Peter said, almost twirling as he turned and walked into the clearing some before turning back to look at Chris. “Chris. Christopher,” he purred in a sardonic tone. “Did you_ really _think a wolf would fall for a hunter?”_

_Chris could feel the panic rising and he shook his head. “Peter, what’re you talking about? What’s going on?” He closed the space between them, hand going to Peter’s cheek. “Whatever is making you do this, it’s not important. If we need to go right now we can.” He shook his head. “I love you, Peter, and I know you love me-“_

_“I NEVER loved you!” Peter snarled, slapping Chris’s hand away from his face. His eyes turned cruel and calculating. “Christopher.” He stalked around to his left. “Are you really this naïve?” He leaned in, lips near Chris’s ear. “You were a game to me.” He moved to the other ear, hand sliding up the back of Chris’s thigh. “A sexy, gullible hunter. A good fuck. The thrill of the chase was all it was supposed to be.” He pulled away and Chris shook his head, bile churning in his throat. Peter’s cruel words and the vicious twist of his features hurt like nothing Chris had ever felt. “But you didn’t make the chase that hard. I’m a predator, and you’re shitty pray. Gave it up too easy.” He laughed a little hysterically._

_Chris shook his head, throat too tight to even try and speak. “No.”_

_“Awww, yes,” Peter mocked. “So fucking pathetic-“_

_“But you love me,” Chris whimpered desperately. “Peter, we planned a life together. No joke is good enough to make you shop for apartments. No prank is cruel enough to make you help me decide to go into weapons dealing and move to Virginia. You put so much time and effort into us planning our future. How is that part of a joke! You started packing so you could run away and give up your PACK and leave with me in two days!” he cried desperately._

_Peter laughed darkly. “Running away together. Giving up my PACK for you. And you believed me!” His smile had a hint of fangs when he looked back at Chris. “You really believed me, Chris? Really?” His tone was dripping with disdain. “Please, you were nothing but a game for me. Fuck a hunter. Live dangerously. And then you fell for me and I thought about how fun it would be to break your wittle heart,” he cooed with a mocking pout. He stepped closer, getting right up in Chris’s face. “Does it hurt, Chris? Does it sting? To know you’re nothing but a stupid child with naïve notions about love?” He winked. “Enjoy explaining your down payment on an apartment in Virginia to good ol’ Gerard,” he purred, then stepped away and, with a few long strides, Peter disappeared into the forest._

It still hurt to remember that night. Chris’s chest felt hollow even after all these years. But that was when he learned not to trust a wolf. He learned the hard way to never trust that the animals he hunted wouldn’t turn on him eventually.

Chris had stood there for a long time that night, trying to pick up the pieces of his broken heart. The next morning he made his decision and cancelled the lease on the apartment in Virginia. He called the woman his father had been pressuring him to marry and made her an offer. He knew Victoria’s parents wanted her to marry am Argent and his parents wanted him to marry another hunter, so he flat out asked her if she would marry him and make both their families happy. He knew she was suspicious about the proposal, but she had no designs on meeting someone and falling in love, so she agreed, and not even a week later, he and Victoria went to the Beacon County courthouse and got married with little preamble. 

The weekend after he originally planned to leave Beacon Hills, Chris and his new wife left and moved to Texas, about as far from Virginia and Beacon Hills as Chris could get, and not even three months into their marriage, they found out they were going to have a child. After marrying Victoria, Chris made the decision to put his everything into his family. 

And now, as he drove aimlessly around Beacon Hills, knowing he couldn’t go back and face Isaac and Jackson - _Jackson_ who could be his _son_ \- he couldn’t help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, Gerard had been telling the truth.

He knew nothing about the possibility of male werewolves to conceive. He’d never heard of it, no matter how rare, so he didn’t know if he believe that could even be possible. Going by what he knew of Peter the way he was now, the cruelty of Peter’s prank to break a hunter’s heart seemed as believable as it had been when he realized that Peter had played him all along. But at the time, something seemed wrong. He couldn’t deny the part of him that hadn’t understood how Peter could’ve taken a prank so far. Peter had sat with him and searched for _hours_ for that apartment in Virginia. They had plans. They had worked for something. He was pretty sure Peter hadn’t been faking being a virgin before they started having sex, and who would choose to have their first sexual relationship be a year-long prank? 

At the time he thought he really was just as naïve as Peter’s cruel words implied, but if he even allowed for the possibility that Gerard wasn’t wrong and his information was sound, it _fit_. It was illogical, but it almost fit better than the idea that Peter spent a whole year working at playing Chris for a prank to break his heart.

As Chris sat at another light, waiting for it to turn green, it was the memory of what he’d first seen that night when Peter came into the clearing, the memory of the anxious, ill look on his face, that made him decide to turn right instead of go straight. 

~

Derek seemed more than a little confused when Chris walked past him into his loft without any preamble. “Uh, Mr. Argent?” he asked, frowning. “Can I help you?” He shut the door and turned back, following Chris as he started pacing. “Also, when did you get back in town?”

Chris looked up, surprised. “Isaac hasn’t come to talk to you? Or to anybody that would get the word back that we’re in town?” he asked.

Derek shook his head, looking kind of disappointed by this. “How long?”

“Two days. We got back the night before last,” Chris said. “Jackson Whittmore is with us.”

Derek’s head jerked up. “Jackson? What- why? Where did you find- no wait, why isn’t he with his parents?” he asked, over to Chris.

Chris’s gut flinched at the word ‘parents’ for more than one reason. “His parents are dead.” Derek paled. “Someone ordered a hit on the Whittmores.” He couldn’t say who, though, since only he and Scott (and now Isaac) knew Gerard was still alive. “Isaac and I heard there was a hit on some young werewolf while we were in France since they were vacationing there. When we got there, it was too late for his parents. They shot them for protecting Jackson.” Derek’s eyes dropped and Chris could see the pain in his features. “Jackson didn’t have anywhere to go so I brought him back.”

Derek stepped back slowly and sank onto the couch. “God, Jackson,” he sighed, putting his face in his hands. “More lives I ruined. Great.”

Chris felt a pang of sympathy for Derek. “Well, don’t feel too guilty,” he said, then bit his lip, cutting himself off. “Look, I’m looking for your uncle.”

Derek looked up sharply, eyebrows raised. “What? Peter? Why?” He narrowed his eyes. “You’re not gonna kill him, are you? I mean, I don’t like him, but he’s still family-“

“Why Christopher Argent, as I live and breathe,” came a voice from upstairs and Derek jerked to his feet, looking surprised.

“Peter?! What the hell are you doing in my apartment?” Derek demanded. “And how did you mask your heartbeat-“

“Outside on the roof, dumbass,” Peter said as he came down the spiral staircase. “God, how the hell have you lived this long?” he asked dryly. He got to the bottom of the steps and crossed his arms, leaning against the staircase. “Ah Argent. Thought I heard your pissy voice-“

“So did you hear what I said?” Chris asked, trying to judge his reaction. “About Jackson Whittmore?”

Peter raised an eyebrow. “Jackson? He’s alive? Huh, I thought he died- oh, no.” He snapped his fingers. “Lydia, the whole ‘love saves all’ crap, right? Yeah, I remember now.” He shrugged uncaringly. “So Jackson’s back. Why? Does he know Derek isn’t his alpha anymore?”

Chris watched his features and saw nothing at all to suggest that this was a man who was talking about his child – given away at birth or not – living or dying. “He’s back because…” He sighed, figuring he may as well give it up. “Gerard ordered a hit on him and his parents while they were vacationing in France. I heard about it and saved him.” The curl of Peter’s lip and the blue flash of his eyes was a reaction, at least.

“Gerard, huh?” He growled. “Thought he was dead.” Derek looked down, anger clouding his features.

Chris shrugged. “He is now,” he said simply and Derek looked up, frowning.

“Why do you-“ Chris cut him off and dug the empty and re-capped syringe out of his pocket, holding it up. Derek’s eyes widened and he paled. “What… is that-“

“That’s adrenaline,” Peter said, walking closer, sniffing. He looked at Derek. “It might’ve made me strong for a little bit, but on an old human heart it would cause a heart attack,” he explained and Derek nodded.

“Yeah, I know that, but what are you saying-“ Derek stood up, looking at Chris eye to eye. “Did you- Your own father?” he asked in a shocked whisper.

Chris gave him a look that held no remorse. “My father ordered the Hale Fire. Still got a problem with me ending his reign of terror?” he asked, and Derek flinched like he’d been hit.

“But I- no, the fire was my fault,” he said weakly, ducking his head. “It- it was my fault.”

Chris frowned. “Why do you think that, Derek? My sister led hunters to set that fire-“

“What he means, Christopher,” Peter drawled. “Is that Derek and Katherine were acquainted.” He smiled bitterly. “Intimately.”

Chris raised an eyebrow. “Oh they were,” he said, giving Peter a significant look. Peter grimaced.

“He was also underage. Is that a trend with you Argents?” he asked and Derek looked at Peter with a confused look but didn’t speak. Peter turned to Chris, crossing his arms over his chest. “Your sister seduced Derek to get close enough to burn down our house. Because he’s a moron, he told her everything she wanted to know-“ Derek made a pained sound of guilt and Chris glared at Peter, who just rolled his eyes. “Oh I’m not denying I was equally stupid at one point, but it is, essentially, his fault she was able to. She was the one that killed them, though, not him.”

Chris sighed heavily. “Okay, I’m too tired for all of this, so I’ll speak plainly,” he said bitterly. “Gerard ordered that fire because he knew about us,” he said and Peter’s eyebrow shot up faster than even Derek’s head snapped up. 

“Well he sure took his sweet ass time. It was ten years after you dumped me that he decided to kill me for it-“

“He decided to kill you because it wasn’t until many years later that he found out about you having had a cub with Argent blood-“ Chris stopped suddenly as Peter’s words finally hit him. He frowned, looking from Derek’s shocked stare to Peter’s face. “Wait…. What do you mean I dumped _you_?” he asked.

Peter’s mouth hung open. “What the hell do you mean I had a _cub_ with Argent blood?!”

Chris narrowed his eyes. “Peter… you dumped _me_ -“

“What does it matter who ended it! What the hell do you mean a cub with Argent blood?!” Peter demanded, waving his hands. 

Chris shook his head. “No, Peter, it matters because there’s no way you could possibly think I dumped you… you and I were two days from running away together and you came to our spot in the woods with this cruel story about how the whole year we’d been together was your idea of a fun prank. You said at first it was the thrill of danger of fucking a hunter, but then when you saw I’d fallen for you, you took sick pleasure knowing you would break my heart.”

Peter scoffed, looking at Chris like he was insane. “What the fuck are you smoking?!” he cried. “It was two days before we were going to run away together and when I got to our spot, you told me you wanted out and that you had made up your mind and I wasn’t worth the risk, that you didn’t really love me, it was just confusion on your part and you were going to marry Victoria instead!”

Chris felt his insides run cold. Because if Peter was that wrong about that, if something had altered his memory, what else might he have forgotten. “Peter… no.” He took a ragged breath. “Oh God, my father may not have been misled.” He put his hands on his head, turning to pace. “Oh God.” He looked at Derek. “You. Do you remember Peter being pregnant?” he asked, and Derek just continued gaping.

“What the ever-loving fuck?!” he asked, looking between them. “You- _you two_?!” 

“WAS YOUR UNCLE PREGNANT?!” Chris demanded and Derek jumped, but shook his head rapidly.

“No. I think I’d remember that part.”

“Chris, this is insane,” Peter spat. “What the fuck are you on-“

“Gerard heard from a pack in Oregon that the Hale’s ‘young beta’ had conceived a child,” Chris interrupted, hands shaking as he gestured. “You were the only beta of ‘young’ age that was old enough. Gerard told me that it’s very rare – once every ten generations in a pack – but sometimes a born male werewolf has a very short window on the full moon very, _very_ rarely that he can conceive a child. My father heard from the Oregon pack that you had conceived when he knew I was seeing you, and he had Kate kill the Hale’s to rid the world of an Argent werewolf,” he explained quickly. “He was so sure it’s actually possible that he ordered a whole pack of werewolves murdered. And he thought the child died in the fire since the only ones not in the house were Laura and Derek and children died in the fire.” He gestured towards the window that overlooked the city. “When he controlled the Kanima he realized that the child had been born human and given up for adoption and that Jackson Whittmore was the child he had meant to kill, and then he thought the Kanima was killed because he escaped before Jackson woke up.” 

Derek looked up. “And he ordered the hit on the Whittmores when he found out otherwise,” he realized, looking at Peter. “Even if you didn’t, Gerard believed that stuff. Everything was because you were sleeping with his son,” he said in cold shock, looking physically ill at the information.

Peter took a breath. “Well, whatever he believed, obviously I was never _pregnant_ -“

“How are you sure?” Chris asked hollowly. He looked up at Peter. “Peter, if you aren’t lying and you really think that is how our relationship ended, then something is very wrong here,” he said and Peter growled.

“I KNOW that’s how it happened! You fucking took advantage of me being an idiot child and used me-“

“Peter, no,” Chris said weakly. He shook his head. “Peter… something is wrong here. One of us remembers it wrong. And if it’s you, then there is a chance that- that my father wasn’t wrong.”

Peter scoffed. “Oh whatever-“

“Peter,” Derek breathed, looking up with wide eyes. “Mom took our memories of the Nemeton. What if that wasn’t all?” he asked.

Peter shook his head. “Derek don’t be insane. It’s one thing to remove the location of a tree we saw a few times, it’s another to make me forget GIVING BIRTH-“

“I went to the Nemeton at least fifty times, Peter,” Derek said hollowly. He shook his head. “How can you be sure?”

Peter raised an eyebrow. “And what? You think I should just give in to this mad idea that I might have had a child _when I’m a man_?!” he demanded angrily.

Derek bit his lip. “There’s one person who would know,” he said, looking at Chris. “An Alpha would never mess with an emissary’s memories, she would just swear him to secrecy.”

Chris breathed in. “Of course, Deaton.” He groaned. “I should’ve thought of him in the first place.”

Peter growled low in his throat. “Fine.” He stalked over to the chair and snatched the jacket that was laying over the back. “We’ll go find him right now. Prove that I never had a child!” he hissed, snatching Derek by the wrist on his way past. “You’re coming to get Deaton to talk since he doesn’t trust me.”

Chris swallowed against the lump in his throat, but followed as Peter all but dragged Derek from the apartment.

~

Derek, Peter, and Chris were all waiting in the exam room when Deaton finally came in. He took one look at Derek leaning against the table, Peter pacing in the corner, and Chris’s gray-tinged pallor on the opposite side of the room and he sighed, shaking his head. “I knew it would come to this someday.”

Chris swayed some, grabbing onto the counter beside him and Peter stopped pacing, blood draining from his face. “Wh- what do you mean?” Peter asked hollowly.

Deaton smiled in that eerily calm way of his and walked over, pulling the stool from his bench over to sit at the table across from Derek. “Your mother was a powerful Alpha, but she should’ve never let you and Peter keep the memories of ever having gone to the Nemeton when she took the location from you. I knew it would backfire.”

Peter sagged against the counter behind him, knocking a tray off the table. “Oh God. What did Talia do?” he asked weakly.

Deaton stood and walked out without another word. Chris stared after him and he could hear Derek moving over to guide Peter onto the stool he had vacated, muttering something softly that Chris’s human ears couldn’t catch. When Deaton returned, he walked over to Peter with a small box, not unlike a clothing giftbox. When he opened it, however, there were documents inside. “These are the records of your pregnancy,” he said and Peter put a hand over his mouth, eyes filling with tears as he looked at the box fearfully. “And here are the photographs.” He pulled out an envelope and dumped them on the table. Chris couldn’t help but stagger closer and look at them.

There were six photographs documenting Peter at various stages of his pregnancy, two ultrasound photos, and, most importantly, one photo of a newborn child in Talia Hale’s arms. When Chris dragged that photo around so that he could look at it, he saw fine blonde hairs and big blue eyes on the infant. “Jesus Christ,” he breathed, sliding the photo back towards the pile. 

Peter reached out with a shaky hand, picking it up. He shook his head. “But how could she erase an entire pregnancy. How could I possibly not remember being _pregnant_ when I’m a man? How did I even give birth?!”

“Cesarean,” Deaton answered. “I performed it,” he said and Peter looked up in surprise. “We had to delay your healing long enough to perform the operation when you went into labor. It was very difficult. The plan had been to perform it before you went into labor, but your cub had other ideas. It’s probably best you don’t remember, because disrupting your healing also lowered your pain threshold, and there was nothing to give you to detract from the fact we were cutting your abdomen open. You didn’t pass out like we had hoped. You were awake for the entire operation,” he said and Peter stared at him in shock. “It was only me, Talia, and my sister. My sister, however, had her memory erased just like you, Derek, and Laura.” He looked at Derek. “Only the adults in your pack retained knowledge of what went on. Peter was eighteen, but he was the one who chose to have it this way to start with.”

Peter shook his head. “Why?! Why would I have did that?” He glanced Chris’s direction. “Was it because he left me?” he asked and Deaton winced.

“Actually, you left him.” Peter frowned. Deaton nodded. “You knew that if his father found out you had conceived he wouldn’t rest until you, Chris, and the cub were all dead. When you found out you were pregnant, you made the decision to leave Chris to protect him,” he said without any infliction or sign of judgment. 

Peter shook his head. “Then why do I remember him leaving me to marry Victoria? He married her barely a week later-“

“You gave birth and the child was human,” Deaton explained. “You made the decision to put the baby up for adoption because around the time it was born, the hunters came back, and not just Gerard Argent’s people. You thought it would be safer with a human family since being born human meant that was an option. Giving up your child broke your heart, and after just a few weeks, you asked your sister to make you forget you were ever pregnant.”

Peter shook his head. “But how-“

“She made it so you would never know you missed anything. We had to work hard for it to erase the pregnancy but leave enough you wouldn’t be suspicious. Especially when we had to do the same on Derek and Laura. And you knew that if you didn’t remember the pregnancy, you would remember breaking up with Chris and want to know what made you do that, so she had to make you think he broke your heart so you wouldn’t doubt your turning your back and not thinking about him again.”

Peter snorted darkly. “Some protection being human gave him, huh? Ended up a Kanima.”

Deaton shook his head. “A human born to a werewolf is never meant to be bitten. A Kanima can result from other things, but when a human born to a werewolf is bitten it always results in a Kanima.” He looked at Derek, who looked even more guilty. “By the time I found out that the child in question was Jackson Whittmore, you had already bitten him. There was nothing to be done.”

For a long time, Derek sat in silence, watching as Chris sorted through the pages of reports about the pregnancy and medical checks Deaton had kept and as Peter just stared at the photograph of Talia holding the baby. Deaton stood off to the side, watching them all. Eventually, when Chris had looked at all the papers and photos, he put it all back inside the box and closed it, sliding it back to Peter. Peter put the photo of the baby back in the box and pulled the box into his arms, not looking up to meet anyone’s eyes as he stood up and turned towards the door. “Derek, let’s go,” he said softly, walking out without waiting to see if Derek would listen. Derek looked at Chris and then at Deaton, who just nodded to him, before following his uncle. Chris waited until he heard the car leaving before he stood straight, thanked Deaton, and left as well. 

Chris drove home on autopilot it seemed. It was nearly dawn when he got home. He didn’t bother taking off his shoes or jacket as he walked into the living room, where Jackson was asleep on the couch, and sat in the chair across from him. He sat through the sunrise, watching Jackson sleep, trying to wrap his head around the fact that his entire life had changed so drastically in one night. 

~

Chris went with Isaac and Jackson to go talk to Scott at Derek’s apartment. He didn’t expect to see Peter there again, but sure enough, Peter was standing and staring out the window when the three of them got there. Jackson stayed back some from Isaac, who walked straight to Scott, said something too soft for Chris to hear, head down and eyes on the floor, and immediately Scott made a strangled sound and threw his arms around Isaac’s neck, hugging him. Chris chuckled when he saw Stiles make a dramatic face and throw his hands up from behind Scott. 

“Yay, Isaac’s alive, that’s great, how about we get to the bigger issue,” Stiles said, stalking around the couch to look up at Chris and Jackson, who were still standing on the edge of the step that led down into the loft. “You brought home a stray?”

Jackson growled. “Can it, Stilinski,” he gritted out and Stiles just smirked.

“Awww I think I almost missed your bitchy voice,” he cooed mockingly and Chris gave him a stern look that made him appear cowed. Stiles rolled his eyes and sighed, but looked at Jackson with a more serious look on his face. “Look, man… I’m really sorry about your parents,” he said in a softer, more sincere tone. “I’m hoping real bad there’s a special, toasty circle of hell for the assholes that did that.”

Chris raised an eyebrow at Stiles and then looked over to see Lydia and Scott staring at Stiles like he’d suddenly become possessed again. Scott opened and closed his mouth. “Did… were you just _nice_ to _Jackson_?” he asked in awe.

Jackson just nodded at Stiles, jaw clenched. “Hopefully,” he said tersely and Stiles nodded, then slapped him on the shoulder.

“Alright, now call me a geek or something so this doesn’t feel creepy,” he said and Jackson rolled his eyes, knocking into Stiles’s shoulder as he walked down into the living area and nodded to Scott.

“So I hear you’re the alpha now,” he said, and Scott nodded.

“Yeah, but don’t worry, I wouldn’t tell you you can’t be around here or anything. I mean, I probably could, but I haven’t even did it to Peter so you’re fine.” 

Jackson looked at Lydia and nodded. “Hey,” he said and she gave him a sad smile.

“I’m really glad you’re okay,” she said simply.

Kira waved awkwardly. “Hi, I’m Kira. This is really awkward cause I don’t know you and I only heard random things about you and I didn’t even realize you were a werewolf so like… yeah. I’m gonna stop now.” She made a face and shrugged.

Scott sat down beside Isaac and Jackson sat across from him. “Okay so… for now things are kinda quiet, but things pretty bad happened when you were gone-“

“So I’m told,” Jackson said, glancing at Chris. “I’m really sorry about-“

“Yeah, dude, things got pretty scary for a bit there,” Scott said, cutting him off from saying anything. “Where are you staying? I mean, if you need anything, we can help you out. Mr. Argent and my mom and Stiles’s dad are all in on everything, so you’ll be fine if you need help.”

Chris spoke up. “For now, Jackson’s free to stay with me for however long he wants,” he said and Jackson nodded.

“Yeah, I’m good for now.” He tilted his head. “I’ve got money, so I can get a place soon if I don’t go straight to college. I could look into starting at the start of next semester instead of waiting for fall if I can get in somewhere,” he said.

Scott frowned. “You finished school already?”

Jackson nodded. “I took equivalency exams instead of swap education systems.” He looked at Isaac. “I didn’t ask, but what about you?”

Isaac shrugged. “Dropped out. I was failing anyways.”

Scott grimaced. “Dude, mom is gonna be so pissed at you,” he said and Isaac cringed.

“Maybe I shouldn’t move back in?” he tried, looking at Chris. “Surely your couch is better than Melissa’s wrath?”

Chris chuckled. “Oh you can face that one yourself, Isaac,” he said and Isaac pouted some.

Stiles eyed him curiously. “How the hell were you failing? Like, the only teacher that even attempted to teach at all last semester was Coach and he should’ve gave you a sympathy pass.”

“Not everybody is really smart, Stiles,” Isaac argued, and Stiles snorted.

“Your competition for grades in Melissa’s eyes is _Scott_.” He held up a hand. “Scott, buddy, I love you, and I know you’re really proud of how you brought up your grade, I don’t mean that in a bad way.”

Scott pouted some. “Not everybody is you. You still managed to pass tests when you were _dyslexic_ ,” he complained and Stiles smirked.

“Yeah, I am kinda smart, huh?” he preened and Lydia smacked him in the back of the head. “Ow!”

Derek cleared his throat, catching their attention. “Is there anything else we need to talk about right now?” he asked, looking around. “If not, at least a few of you have school tomorrow.”

Stiles dramatically rolled his eyes and pulled a face. “Alright, _mom_. Gonna make sure we all bundle up against the cold, too?”

Derek gave him a flat look. “Why haven’t I killed you yet?” he asked and Stiles put his hands under his chin and gave a cheesy smile.

“Cause I’m too damn pretty,” he countered, winking at Kira when she started giggling at his antics. “Alright, I gotta get home. Who knows, maybe if I speed past that big shrub on Third street Derek’s future boyfriend will stop me and I can tell him how much Derek wants him-“

“Okay!” Lydia stood up and slapped a hand over Stiles’s mouth. “We’re going now, before Derek throws a certain someone out the window, bye guys!” 

Kira stood up. “Lemme ride with you, Lydia. I have a feeling Scott and Isaac still have some more manly crying to do and I’d like to avoid that awkward,” she said, running after them, only to trip up the step up and end up half-crawling out the door after Lydia and Stiles on her way up to her feet.

Chris looked at Derek, then nodded towards Peter, who was still standing at the window, once again ignoring them all. Derek seemed to get what he meant and he put a hand on Scott’s shoulder. “Scott, can you three go down and see if you smell anything outside? I’ve been meaning to ask you to help me try and find out what’s been moving the dumpsters behind the building. I know it’s probably nothing, but I want to be sure.”

Scott looked up, as oblivious as ever, and nodded. “Yeah, sure.”

Jackson looked at Chris, and he nodded. “I’ll wait for you. It’s no rush.”

As soon as they were gone and he could no longer hear the elevator, he looked at Peter, who had turned to look at him. Derek held up a hand, waiting at the door, then turned back. “They’re out of range.”

Chris sighed. “What are we going to do about Jackson?” he asked flat out, to weary to mince words.

Derek shook his head. “You don’t tell him,” he said and Chris raised an eyebrow. “Right now, you’re the one he’s looking to for guidance. His parents were murdered in front of him a month ago. He may be an adult legally but he’s a scared kid and you saved him. If you tell him the truth, if you throw even more on top of all that’s weighing him down, he’ll lose it. He will freak out and God knows what might happen.”

Peter sighed, nodding. “Doesn’t help that telling him the truth means telling him that his biological ‘mother’ is me. I terrorized him during all of that crap when I was insane, and then he helped kill me.” He tilted his head. “Not something to put on an already taxed mind.”

Chris nodded. “Yeah, I can imagine.” He ran a hand over his face. “None of the others know, right? Nobody told Scott out of some respect for the alpha stuff?” he asked, looking between them.

Derek rolled his eyes. “He may be the alpha, but he’s not that bright and his best friend is Stiles. Telling Scott would have it front page news in a week.”

Peter shook his head sadly. “True mark of how insane I really was. I bit him, not Stiles,” he said and Chris chuckled.

“Thank God it was Scott, really. If Stiles somehow ended up being the alpha, we’d all be doomed,” he said with a tired smile. 

Peter glanced to Derek, curling his arms around himself. “Derek, can I have a moment to speak to Christopher?” he asked, and Derek gave him a flat look, and then rolled his eyes and headed up the spiral staircase, shaking his head in disbelief.

Chris couldn’t hear what he was grumbling but Peter looked less than amused as he watched him go. Chris chortled. “He is seriously judging you, isn’t he?” he asked lightly and Peter scoffed.

“That boy is definitely my sister’s child,” he said, shaking his head. He looked at Chris and bit his lip. “Chris… there’s something you should probably see,” he said, walking over to the table by the window. He opened a drawer and came back with a folded up sheet of paper. He held it out to Chris, who glanced at him curiously but took it anyways. Chris opened it and, even all these years later, immediately recognized Peter’s handwriting. He looked up and Peter shook his head. “Just read it.” Chris flattened out the letter and did as he said. The first thing he noticed was that it was a letter Peter had written to himself. 

The second was that it was dated two and a half weeks after Jackson’s date of birth.

_If you’re reading this letter, that means that in spite of Talia and Deaton’s best efforts, erasing the memories has failed. Or maybe it means you just figured out something was wrong. Either way, I need you to know what has happened, what I have asked Talia to do, and exactly why you chose this._

_The first thing I have to make clear to you – and God is it weird to write ‘you’ knowing that I’m writing this to myself – is that I love my child with all my heart. You won’t remember this, and that’s the one thing that hurts the most, knowing that I’m taking from myself this immense love. I thought I knew love at its strongest when it came to Chris, but nothing compares to how much I love my son. Making the decision to give him up was the most painful thing I have ever done, but I’m doing it for his own safety, the same way I gave Chris up for his._

_Two months before Christopher and I were going to run away together, meaning a month before we decided to run away together, we made love the night of the full moon. That night, even though I didn’t know it, I had the ability to conceive. A week before Christopher was going to take me away from this place and we were going to start our life together, I finally had my fill of being sick and tired and I went to Talia about it. She in turn took me to the emissary to try and find out why I was ill. When we discovered that I was one of the rarest of rare werewolves that could conceive and carry a child in spite of being male, she made me tell her who the father was. When I replied that it was Gerard Argent’s son, she immediately assumed that Chris was using me to try and hurt me. When I admitted that in just a week we were planning to run away together and that we had been seeing each other in secret for a whole year, she realized I wasn’t misguided, and I think she accepted that our love was real. However, she also asked me what I planned to do going through pregnancy alone without a pack or an emissary in Virginia._

_I realized that that wasn’t even going to be an option. I couldn’t tell Chris. Even if he wouldn’t ever tell his father about us or the pregnancy, it was different now. Running away together had always held the risk of Gerard Argent finding us, but this time I would be pregnant. There would be no running if he did find us. There would be death for us both. An Argent sleeping with a werewolf was one thing. A werewolf cub with Argent blood would spell death._

_Two days before Chris and I were going to run away together, I met him in our spot and broke his heart. I felt sick having to fake it so well. It was so hard to lie to him so convincingly that he believed that I never loved him and nothing was real. Every word out of my mouth felt disgusting, and every ounce of pain in his eyes broke something in me. When I left him there in that clearing, broken and in anguish, I made it just beyond the range of human ears and vomited everywhere. I cried and puked and barely managed to make my way home before I fell apart completely because I was so close to happiness, so close to leaving this place and starting a life with the love of my life. Even now, after all else I’ve been through, I still love him. He’s married now. He must’ve decided that there was no longer any reason to keep saying no and agreed to marry the woman his father wanted him to._

_I hate so badly that I drove him to cement his doomed life as a hunter when he hates it so much. I ruined his life in order to save him._

_However, I held myself together after the pain of giving up Christopher with the knowledge that I was going to have a cub. At first, I didn’t want it, I hated the idea of it, because it ruined my plans to live a happy life what the man I loved. But that was over, it was done, and I realized I couldn’t blame my cub for that. By the time I discovered it was a boy, I was already more in love with my baby than I knew the heart could handle._

_I was terrified when I learned that hunters besides the Argents had started coming into town. Talia said that Chris leaving meant an opening for hunters to try and secure their space as second in line to Gerard Argent and it made things tense. I was scared for my cub’s safety. I knew that having him and raising him would be such a risk. We were afraid enough for Laura and Derek’s safety, and we still are. Adding a newborn to the mix was a terrifying thought. And then he was born human. I’ll spare you the details you hopefully forgot about the pain of being cut open without anything to dull it, but suffice to say it was excruciating._

_More excruciating, however, was the almost instant realization I had upon discovering that my baby was human, a realization that he would be safer among humans. I knew as soon as Talia and Deaton confirmed that he was human that I would be giving him up._

_Never think that I wanted this. Never think for a second that I wanted to give my baby away. I never did name him anything, because I wanted to wait until I saw him to name him and within two hours of his birth I had decided to give him away, but while I was pregnant I called him ‘little boy’._

_I have no idea what his name is. I have no idea who adopted him. I held him in my arms for nearly four hours after the first time Talia gave him to me once I’d healed, but I then gave him to Talia and asked her to take care of it all for me. I don’t know where my little boy is now, I don’t know if you know where he is now, but I want you to know how much I loved him. He was beautiful, and perfect, and he had Chris’s chin and my eyes, and I wanted to keep him and give him the world._

_Instead I chose to give him a better chance at life. I’m selfish, and I’m rash, and even though it may seem like giving Chris and my little boy up were magnanimous choices, they were very selfish, because I would rather not have to witness the man I love and the child I love die than keep them and make them happy. I miss Chris every day since I left him and I miss my little boy so much that it hurts to breathe, and because of that, I’ve decided to have Talia erase it all._

_Living like this is hell. Hurting this much is hell. Knowing that a lifetime of this pain would only drag me into insanity, I have made the choice to make it go away. But please, whatever made you find and read this note, whatever happens in the future, know that you loved them both so much that the pain of losing them was worse than living with their memories intact._

Chris put a hand over his mouth, the other shaking as he finished reading the letter. He looked up and saw that Peter had sat on the couch with his arms around his middle. “God, Peter,” he breathed, and Peter looked up, glassy eyed and gaunt.

“I don’t know what that’s like,” he said weakly. He glanced away, taking a deep breath. “At some point I had the capacity to love so much that I chose losing a chapter of my life over suffering that pain of giving away a child.” He snorted. “A _child_. I have a child. I was pregnant with a child. I held a baby in my arms and loved it so much that I gave it away to protect it.” He laughed somewhat hysterically, looking up. “What is that? How is that me? How did I write anything said there? None of it sounds like me!” He scoffed. “And really, when has anything hurt me enough I’d rather forget it? Listening to my family burn to death screaming was horrible, but even that wasn’t enough to want to forget.”

“You like having that there to fuel yourself,” Chris said in a hollow tone, looking down at his hands. “It’s who you became. You were already more of the you you are now then, going by what I’ve heard about your part in Derek’s life.” He looked up, even though the weight of everything he felt was weighing him down. “You like remembering how bad that one hurt because it helps you get up every day. It helps you put one foot in front of the other.” Peter raised an eyebrow and Chris shrugged weakly. “If I didn’t need the pain to keep me from putting a bullet in my head, I’d wish I could forget what happened to Allison in a heartbeat,” he said weakly. He swallowed hard, head hanging again. “The difference is, forgetting four hours with him was worth forgetting the pain. I might want to forget what happened, but I had seventeen years of being a father that I’d never forget.” He bit his lip, eyes stinging as he looked up at Peter. “But forgetting losing her?” He snorted wetly. “Fuck yeah I’d give it up in a heartbeat if I didn’t need it to remind me I’m alive.”

Peter tilted his head a little, eyes on Chris. “No matter what all has happened in the past or now, I am so sorry, Christopher,” he said hoarsely. “I have no idea what that feels like. I have no idea what it could possibly feel like when, even though I am half-insane and barely knew her anymore, I felt so scared when Cora was dying.” He snorted. “She’s my niece, one I barely knew anything about, and I was ready to kill somebody if she died. I cannot fathom the pain you are in every single day.” He smiled sadly. “I wouldn’t wish the pain of losing a child on my worst enemy, and you’re probably not even in the top ten on my enemies list.”

Chris managed a small smile at that. He hummed. “Crazy to think the last Argent and the last of the Hales are on the same side these days, however reluctantly,” he agreed.

“Oh God,” Peter groaned. “Hell, I never thought I’d see the day you and I were in the same room together and nobody was trying to kill anybody.”

Chris winced slightly. “Actually,” he said softly, taking a weak breath. “It’s not the first time.” Peter raised an eyebrow and Chris fidgeted with his wedding ring. “Last year wasn’t the first time I’ve been back to Beacon Hills since I left that summer.” Peter’s eyes widened and Chris nodded reluctantly, confirming what he knew Peter was thinking. “When I heard about the fire, when I heard you survived… I came back to see if you were okay.”

“Chris…” Peter inhaled sharply, stock still in his seat.

Chris looked back at his scarred, callused hands. “When you broke up with me, I pretty much gave up on the idea of love and married Victoria out of anger more than anything. I pushed you to the back of my mind and never thought about you again. But when I heard there had been a freak accident in which somehow a house fire killed almost all of the Hale pack, they mentioned that Laura and Derek survived and that- that you had survived, too.” He smiled bitterly, twisting his ring. “I wanted to not care. I wanted to not give a shit at all, but no matter how long I shoved your memory away, I still just- I had to know you were okay. So I told everybody I had a business trip to make and I came back. I didn’t let my father know I was here, I didn’t let anybody catch sight of me, I just snuck into town at night.” He looked up at Peter. “And I went to the hospital to see you.”

Peter flinched and looked towards the window with a haunted look in his eyes. “And?”

“And I sat there all night hating myself for how bad it hurt to see you like that,” he admitted hoarsely. “Seeing you catatonic and speaking to you and knowing you didn’t hear me… the thought of you never getting better. The thought of the boy I knew turned into a shell of a man was so horrible. I hated myself for giving a damn after what you did to me, but more than a decade later, it hurt to know that _my_ Peter was gone.” He ran a hand over his face. “When the sun came up, I left. Went home. Pretended I never went back to Beacon Hills. Pushed it all way, way back and never thought about it again.” He shook his head. “I didn’t even think about you when we moved back here, I shoved it down so well. It wasn’t until you killed my sister and the kids killed you that I even thought about it and by then it was over for good.”

Peter shook his head in disbelief. “You came back to see me ten years later because you heard I’d survived? Seriously? As cruelly as it seems I dumped you, I’m shocked you didn’t come back just to laugh at me and then go piss on the ashes of my family’s house,” he said and Chris chuckled and stood up.

“That’s the difference in me and you, Peter,” he said with a small shrug. “If you had found a reason to do it, sometime in the last few months I’m pretty sure you would’ve killed me just to rid the world of another Argent,” he said, looking at Peter with a heavy sadness in his gaze. “Even when you were insane and I knew they had to put you down, I hated knowing that you had to die, and when they burned you first, I wanted to be sick knowing you had to face that twice in one lifetime. You had just murdered my sister, but underneath it all, I still didn’t want to see you hurt.” He shrugged at the pained look on Peter’s face. “I don’t regret my life but no matter what, two decades doesn’t change that once upon a time I loved you, Peter.”

He turned away before he could say anything more damning and walked away. With every step towards the door, the desire to turn around and see what Peter’s reaction was grew greater, but he didn’t turn around. He just walked straight to the elevator and didn’t stop until he got outside the building, collected Jackson, and got in the car to go home.

~

Chris sat on the large, flat rock that was at the tree-line near the clearing he and Peter used to meet in, just staring at a tree right in front of him, when a voice startled him. “You know, I didn’t expect to find you hiding here of all places.” Chris jumped, but smiled faintly.

“Seems you thought of hiding out here, too,” Chris replied and there was a soft chuckle. He slid to one side of the rock so there was a foot of a gap between them when Peter sat and rested his arms on his knees. “You are hiding, aren’t you?” he asked, and Peter nodded when Chris glanced over. “He still angry?”

Peter scoffed. “He has trashed Derek’s apartment and I left around the time Stiles started crying. No doubt they’ll end up crying together.” Chris just shook his head, letting his head fall to look down at his lap, legs crossed beneath him. 

In spite of their work to keep Jackson from finding out what they now knew, it only took two weeks before Isaac and Scott came to Derek’s place unannounced and found Peter looking at the photos of himself pregnant and of baby Jackson. One of them must’ve mentioned it to Kira, who didn’t realize it was a secret, and had casually mentioned something about Jackson being the only born werewolf of the teens to Lydia, who had immediately questioned her and found out that Peter was Jackson’s parent. She had confronted Jackson about whether it was true, assuming Jackson knew about it, and Jackson had, in turn, came to Derek’s apartment and threw a fit.

Derek had called Chris and asked him to come help them calm him down, and by the time Chris got there, everyone was yelling at each other over the whole debacle. Derek was still the only one who knew Chris was Jackson’s biological father, but Chris had taken one look at the situation and decided ‘fuck it’ and left to go find somewhere nobody would look for him until it all blew over.

For the first time in over eighteen years, Chris found himself driving to the clearing in the forest that had been his and Peter’s spot. He was surprised Peter had ran away and decided to go to the same place, but if he thought about it, it was at least the one place nobody would expect to find him. “I still can’t believe those kids were all so careless,” Chris muttered, and Peter laughed dryly.

“Oh Chris, they are all morons. The only one who can keep a secret is Stiles, and he’s just a very good liar,” he said with a weary sigh. Peter looked at the tree Chris was face and tilted his head in realization. “Is that-“

Chris chuckled and nodded. “First place I kissed you,” he said, and Peter snorted.

“I totally thought you were going to finally kill me,” Peter admitted and Chris glanced over, raising an eyebrow. Peter shot him a look. “I’d been taunting you for weeks, going on and on about the ‘big bad hunter’ and how I kept sneaking up on you and saying incredibly sexual things, then suddenly you grabbed me, slammed me into a tree by my throat, and gave me that murderous look. I was momentarily sure I’d finally pushed you too far and you were going to kill me to shut me up,” he said. 

Chris snickered. “I shut you up, at least,” he offered and Peter smirked.

“Gotta admit, I preferred your method to shooting me,” he droned and Chris couldn’t help but smile. 

“Yep, that’s the tree,” he said. He knocked his knuckles on the rock they sat on. “There’s a fifty-fifty chance this is where I got you pregnant, actually,” he noted and Peter laughed out loud, shaking his head.

“Ew, Chris,” he said, scrunching up his nose, and Chris rolled his eyes.

“Oh come on, it’s just true,” he teased and Peter elbowed him with a faint smile. “Either here or the back of my truck over there in the clearing.”

Peter smirked darkly, leaning his chin onto his forearms propped across his knees. “Ha, maybe I can tell that little shit exactly where he was conceived if he starts bitching at me again,” he said and Chris cringed.

“Did he really?” he asked and Peter sighed but nodded. “I can’t blame him for being upset… but it’s so far from your fault,” Chris muttered and Peter shrugged.

“I think he just wants someone to blame.” He rubbed at his forehead. “I get it, but Jesus Christ, I’m pretty sure I’m more fucked up over all of this than he is. Yeah, he’s been messed up since he found out he’s adopted or some shit, and yeah it’s messed up to find out your parents are both men, but I’m the one who keeps staring at photos of myself _pregnant_. And apparently, I’m the reason he lived at all, since giving him away meant he didn’t _die in a fire_ as a child.” He grumbled. “Ungrateful fuck.”

Chris rolled his eyes. “He’s a scared kid. He’s the same age you were when you were pregnant with him-“

“Thanks for remind me how old I am,” Peter grumbled.

“And even if you don’t remember it, I’m pretty damn sure you were probably terrified out of your mind,” Chris said gently. “Have some sympathy.”

Peter raised an eyebrow. “That’s rich coming from an _Argent_ ,” he said bitterly and Chris gave him a flat look.

“You’re the one who was going to run away with an ‘Argent’,” he countered and Peter huffed.

“Yeah, another thing that’s that damn child’s fault. My life would’ve gone a hell of a lot differently if I hadn’t got pregnant,” he mumbled bitterly, pressing his hands into his eyes.

Chris looked down, smiling sadly. “I’m sorry for how things wound up going for you, Peter, but even if I could change things, I wouldn’t.” He shook his head. “I wish I could say I’d change things, but I wouldn’t be who I am if you and I had ran away together. It was my first shove into learning how to compartmentalize. I had to if I wanted to go on. And it’s a good skill to have.”

Peter stared at his knees, picking at the seam of his jeans. “Why did you marry Victoria a week after what happened? A _week_ ,” he stressed, sounding somewhat bitter.

Chris shrugged. “I didn’t have a reason to care anymore.” He chuckled hollowly. “I wasn’t going to ever love anybody the way I loved you, so why keep trying to get out of marrying who my parents wanted me to marry?” 

Chris glanced up and saw Peter looking at his wedding ring. “You still wear your ring,” Peter muttered, looking up at him. “Did you love her after all?” 

“Yeah,” Chris said with a sigh and a pang of grief still. “I didn’t really know her when we got married, but I shut you away, I compartmentalized, and I knew that marrying her wasn’t a thing I could really just back out of later, so I made myself be a good husband.” He rubbed at his ring. “We hadn’t been married but about three months when she got pregnant and by the time she had Allison, she wasn’t just this woman I’d married, she was the mother of the most important thing in the whole world, so I started to love her.” He shrugged. “It wasn’t some love story romance, it never was going to be that way. She wasn’t ‘The One’ or anything, but she was my best friend. You don’t spend eighteen years with someone and not grow to love them for being there through all of it, for being your partner, your friend.” He looked at the gold glinting in the dark and shook his head. “There were times I didn’t even like her, really, but at the end of the day, she was my best friend and the mother of my daughter. I might not have picked her, but we made the best of what we had.” He rolled his eyes. “Until she killed herself and made me help.” He saluted the sky. “Thanks, Gerard, you bastard.”

Peter chuckled darkly. “Glad you killed him,” he said bitterly and Chris was surprised he didn’t feel any remorse for it.

Chris sighed, running a hand over his head. “So what about you?” he asked, and Peter raised an eyebrow. Chris shrugged. “If we’re talking about Victoria, I figure it’s safe to ask whether there was ever somebody for you. Or is there someone now?” he asked. “I don’t even know what you do when you’re not trying to kill people.”

Peter chortled. “Not anybody now. And I have a lot of money after so many life insurance policies and inheritance, so I don’t work, I mostly sit around my apartment or mess with one of the kids just for the hell of it,” he said and Chris gave him a chastising look. He bit his lip. “Nah,” he sighed. “There was never anybody else. Not anybody that mattered. Or lasted,” he added. “I had the occasional ‘two or three dates’ in my twenties, but then there was the fire, then six years of being locked inside my own body, sometimes aware, sometimes not, and then I started waking up pretty much fried from having been locked inside my body and mind for so long, went on a murder spree, went on a date with Melissa McCall to try and use her as leverage for Scott to not be a little bitch about being a werewolf, got killed, got resurrected, apparently tried to help kill my own son, had that whole thing with Alphas and that bitch with the magic, and you know how the rest has gone recently. Yay more supernatural magical shit.” He shrugged. “Never really got a chance at life. Even back when I was in my twenties, the hunters came back, the other packs all left, and it was ten years of fearing the day the ax would fall, until one day it did.”

Chris watched the hollow, broken look in Peter’s eyes and couldn’t help but hurt for him. He remembered how big Peter’s dreams were when they were going to run away and live a life together, and while he’d got at least a version of a home and a family and a life, Peter had lived his whole adult life in fear, in pain, or not ‘living’. He could see how damaged Peter was and in his mind he still could remember the light in Peter’s eyes when they had been together. It killed him to see that gone. “Peter-“

“In a way, you kind of ended up the same way,” Peter said hoarsely, still staring into the distance blankly. “Maybe you got your life, but your father was a monster, your mother was murdered, your sister was murdered, your wife was barely less of a monster than your father, your wife killed herself and made you help, and then your daughter was taken from you.” He shook his head. “You’re just as destroyed as I was after that fire, aren’t you, Chris?”

Chris smiled sadly. “At least I still have my sanity. Sometimes.”

Peter smiled at him, laying his cheek on his arms to look over at Chris. “You always were a funny guy,” he muttered, looking emotionally weary, and Chris smiled back.

“You always thought so at least.” He looked at the lines that crinkled at the corners of Peter’s eyes and across his forehead. It said something that even nearly twenty years later, Peter’s eyes were still so blue that it took Chris by surprise. “You’re still so beautiful,” Chris sighed softly and Peter raised an amused eyebrow. Lips quirking up at the corners.

“Lies,” he said softly, eyes twinkling playfully. “I haven’t exactly aged as gracefully as you, Christopher,” he said and Chris raised an eyebrow.

“Do you not see the canyons of wrinkles in my face and the silver hair, what little is left of it?” he asked and Peter smirked.

“Oh please, you’re definitely even hotter old than you were younger. You weren’t exactly the most gorgeous man ever back then, but you sure grew up nice,” he teased.

Chris rolled his eyes. “You always did have some weird kink for old guys-“

“Well I dated you, didn’t I?” Peter countered, knocking his ankle against Chris’s knee. 

Chris scoffed. “Oh come on, I’m six years older-“

“And look sixteen years older-“

“You’re not exactly twenty-five yourself-“

“Better than forty-five-“

“I’m forty-two, thank you very much-“

“And you look forty-five!” Peter argued, laughing at Chris’s annoyed face. “Face it, you’re ol-“ Chris didn’t let Peter finish, he just leaned in and kissed him. 

It was slow and gentle, with the only contact being their mouths and Chris’s hand cupping Peter’s jaw. When they finally pulled apart, Chris didn’t move back, he just left his eyes shut, forehead tipped against Peter’s. Neither spoke for a moment and when Chris opened his eyes, Peter’s eyes were wide and he looked absolutely _wrecked_ , like he was terrified, in pain, and still fighting to smile. Chris felt like an asshole as he pulled away some, but he couldn’t bring himself to stop stroking his thumb along Peter’s jaw and staring at it. For the longest time, neither of them moved, until Chris realized his thumb was wet and followed the track of the single tear back up to Peter’s shut eyes. “Peter?” he asked guiltily and Peter took a rattled breath and forced a smile, opening his eyes again.

“Interesting with the facial hair,” he croaked, chuckling even though the look in his eyes seemed more like he was breaking. “Never kissed a man with a beard.”

Chris met his eyes, holding his gaze. “Nearly two decades have passed, but it still feels the same,” he admitted and Peter’s bottom lip quivered before he bit it and shut his eyes. He leaned into Chris’s hand and sucked in a sharp breath.

“Christopher,” he whispered and Chris kissed him again. Peter’s hands came up to clutch at Chris’s shirt as he made a desperate sound and surged up against him. The kiss was almost desperate, unlike the first, but after just a moment Peter snatched away with a broken sound almost like a sob. “I can’t,” he whimpered, pulling back, shaking his head, eyes downcast. “I can’t, Chris. I can’t. We shouldn’t-“

“I know,” Chris agreed desolately. He tipped his chin up and pressed his lips to Peter’s hair, eyes clenching shut against the way they burned. “I know, Peter.” He pulled back and dropped his hands from Peter, who just stumbled to his feet, backing away.

“Chris, I just- I can’t,” he managed and Chris nodded, lips twisted painfully into a fragmented facsimile of a smile.

“Goodnight, Peter,” he said, and Peter nodded, wiping at his face as he turned on his heel and purposefully strode away into the forest, leaving nothing in his wake but the faint taste of his kiss on Chris’s lips. 

~

Chris knew a few days later when he woke up and Jackson was gone that he’d gone back to Derek’s place to try and catch Peter before he could sneak out. He’d tried it twice already at various times and Peter always managed to get away without taking to Jackson, but Derek was getting sick of it. Chris decided he should probably head over before Jackson got his ass kicked for fucking with Derek that early in the morning.

When he got there, however, he was shocked to see he wasn’t the only one. When he got upstairs, he could hear shouting before he even walked into Derek’s loft to find Scott, Isaac, Stiles, Lydia, Jackson, and Derek all yelling at each other. Peter was nowhere to be found. Derek was in nothing but sweatpants, looking like he’d been rudely woken up early, and Stiles just had sneakers and a hoodie over what looked like ninja turtle pajamas, as if Scott had dragged him along with him and Isaac. 

“I DESERVE ANSWERS-“

“HE DOESN’T EVEN LIVE HERE-“

“WHY DO YOU KEEP CALLING US LIKE JACKSON IS OUR RESPONSBILITY-“

“BECAUSE I NEED WITNESSES FOR WHEN I KILL HIM-“

Chris slammed the door shut behind him, hard, startling them all out of their yelling. He pointed at Jackson. “You, I told you not do come over here again,” he said and Jackson scoffed. “Derek, I’m sorry, but death threats won’t make him shut up, just don’t answer the door.” He turned to Lydia. “Seriously, you just make things worse when it’s about Jackson and you get involved, so whoever is calling her,” he looked at the others, “Stop it.”

Scott sighed. “She is the only one who can reason with him-“

“Jackson is entitled to some answers,” she countered, arms crossed. “And I’m only here because he asked me for a ride,” she said to Chris primly.

Jackson glared at Derek. “I know he comes here, the place smells like him. I just want answers-“

“Have you ever considered that Peter doesn’t have them?!” Derek argued. “NONE of you are even supposed to know this shit!” He pointed at Scott. “You should’ve never went nosing around in his shit, you should’ve never told Kira, and then none of you would even know anything about this.” He looked at Jackson. “Look, I don’t know. I don’t know anything.”

Stiles sighed. “Derek, you’re lying and they can tell,” he said tiredly and Derek glared at him. “What?! I’m telling the obvious! I’m a human and I can tell you’re lying. You suck at it.” He looked at Scott. “And he’s right,” he added and Isaac and Scott both looked scandalized. “Look, I’m nosy as shit, you know this,” he started, but shook his head. “But that’s not right. I don’t tell you everything I know about everybody because it’s not anybody’s business. I find out things that nobody else needs to know. I don’t talk because I know how things get blown out of proportions.”

“Shit for brains,” Jackson interrupted. “This is my LIFE, it’s things I deserve to know! All I know is that my entire fucked up life all links back to this asshole’s family,” he said, pointing at Derek.

Chris put a hand on his face. “Jackson, don’t blame the Hales-“

“What don’t you get here, Chris?! I’m some weird ass male pregnancy baby that was given up to-“

Chris snapped. “To parents who loved you!” He gestured to the room. “I am sorry, but how many of the people in this room have had a shitty parent?” he asked. “Did your parents ever ignore you?” he asked, pointing at Scott. “Did they ever use you to manipulate each other?” he asked, pointing to Lydia. “Did they ever _hurt you_?!” he asked, gesturing to Isaac. Jackson looked at him with a pale, betrayed look. “Jackson, you may have been adopted, but your parents loved you. Your parents _died_ for you,” he pushed, then softened some when Jackson flinched. “Look, I’m so sorry that happened, okay?” he offered in a gentler tone. “I’m sorry Isaac and I didn’t get there sooner and I’m so sorry they died, but for eighteen years you had two parents who loved you more than anything in the world.” He shook his head. “Do you really think it would’ve been better if you weren’t adopted by loving parents? Do you wish you hadn’t had your parents? Do you not think that maybe, if anything, you owe Peter gratitude for giving you up so that you could have the childhood you did?” 

Derek cleared his throat. “Also bear in mind that you don’t know anything about the situation. None of you do. None of you know ANYTHING at all except that you saw photos of Peter pregnant and a baby photo of Jackson in my mom’s arms,” he said, then shot a glare at Jackson. “And you have no idea how insensitive you are being about this all.”

Jackson gritted his teeth. “That’s my point, jackass! I DON’T know anything! Yes, I had parents who loved me, but I still want to know where the story about my birth parents dying in a car accident came from, or how the HELL Peter Hale was _pregnant_ , or who my father was, or how about why he chose to give me up in the first place?!”

“Did you not stop to think that maybe Peter is having a hard time with this all, too?!” Derek argued. “Jesus Christ, you want to know what?! Peter didn’t know you were his son until after you came back with Chris and Isaac! He didn’t know he’d ever BEEN pregnant! He and I have no memory of any of it because my mother and her emissary erased it all from our memories!”

Lydia paled. “Like with the Nemeton?” she asked, and he nodded. 

“Crap,” Stiles muttered, running his fingers through his hair.

Jackson sighed. “Fine, maybe he’s traumatized, too, but if he learned all this stuff since I came back, why hasn’t anybody told me? Doesn’t he think he owes me-“

Derek glared. “He doesn’t owe you shit, Jackson! He _carried you_ for nine months, got cut open to have you taken out, and then when you were human, he gave you up to protect you! He was eighteen years old, there were hunters in the area besides the Argents, they were scared enough with me and Laura and my mom pregnant with Cora in the pack, and when you were human he saw that you had a chance to be safe, and he gave you away to protect you. You know why he doesn’t remember?!” He slammed his hands on the table, eyes blue as he snarled. “Because giving away his child hurt too much for him to take anymore and he asked my mom to make it all go away, and it still backfired because the hunters found out later and tried to kill the whole fucking pack to kill you anyways!” 

Chris cringed and looked hard so he could see the looks on the kids’ faces, ranging from shocked to horrified. It was Stiles who spoke up, though. “Wait… the fire was at least nine or ten years later… and Kate Argent did that because of-“ He stopped and Derek paled and Chris winced. “Well, I thought she did it for something else,” he avoided, giving Derek a significant look. He looked at Chris. “Also, everybody involved in that fire is dead, right? How did you find out about the fire and Jackson being related?” Scott and Isaac exchanged a look of worry and Stiles saw it, narrowing his eyes. “What do you know that-“

Chris sighed. “It was Gerard,” he said and Stiles’s head popped up. 

“Gerard?” he asked in a hollow voice, fear in his eyes. “You mean- you mean Gerard Argent is still ALIVE?!” He looked around, and saw that Scott, Derek, and Isaac all seemed to avoid his gaze. “You know?” he asked, sounding betrayed.

Jackson raised an eyebrow. “Wait… nobody else knew about that?” he asked, and Stiles made an angry sound.

“GERARD IS ALIVE?!” he cried, rage in his eyes.

Chris sighed. “Not anymore,” he said, rolling his eyes. “I killed him. Happy?” he asked, and Stiles looked taken aback, as did Lydia. 

“Uh… so, your dad told you Peter was the father of the kid you’d just saved in France?” he asked, seeming more interested in that than affected by the news Chris killed his own father.

Derek looked at Chris worriedly and Chris sighed, walking over to lean against the table Derek was behind. He crossed his arms and grimaced. “My father knew that Jackson was Peter’s son after controlling the Kanima-“

“Yeah, no, back to the part where Gerard ordered the Hale’s house burned down and had Kate get close enough to do it,” Stiles argued and Derek looked relieved by him not telling the whole truth. “That was a long time before Jackson became the Kanima-“

Chris chuckled. “You’re going to make me say it, aren’t you?” he asked and Derek gave him a surprised look. Chris looked up and met Stiles’s eyes. “My father murdered a pack in Oregon and someone must’ve told some distant relative and it traveled from Hale pack to that pack that one of their young betas was one of the rare betas who can have a male pregnancy. They told the hunters this to save their children’s lives,” he said and Stiles looked as disgusted as Chris felt. “My father knew that Peter was the only young beta that wasn’t a child. And because of the timing, he knew who the father of the child was and decided the ‘abomination’ couldn’t survive. He had wanted a reason to kill the Hales for ages and now he had one.”

Stiles eyed him curiously. “So Gerard knew who the father was, but not that the baby had been human and give up.” He looked around the room then at Chris. “Do you know who the father is?” he asked flat out.

“I do,” Chris said, and now they all looked interested.

Isaac frowned. “Wait, you know? Since when-“

“Since I found out Peter had a cub at the time he had it,” he said reluctantly. He looked away. “The child was an ‘abomination’ not because of being male-born, though that may have been enough anyways, but because the baby was half-Argent.”

Stiles spluttered, nearly falling over as he flailed. “HOLY SHIT!” he cried, then made a horrified face. “Ewwwwww.”

Scott frowned. “Wait, I don’t get it-“

“Scott, I’m the father,” Chris simplified for him, and Jackson made a weak growl. Chris looked up, heart pounding suddenly as he saw the betrayal written across Jackson’s face. “Jackson-“

“YOU are my father?! You’ve known all this time I’ve been living with you-“

“And we decided not to say anything because you’re under a lot of stress-“

“You’re my _father_ ,” he gritted out. “Holy shit, Allison was my sister?!” he asked, and Stiles suddenly snickered.

“Wow, good thing she wouldn’t agree to go out with you-“

“Stiles, that’s inappropriate,” Derek chastised and Stiles rolled his eyes.

“Pretty sure Peter sleeping with a married man was, too-“

Chris cleared his throat. “I wasn’t married, we were dating, things didn’t work out, I left Beacon Hills and got married and never heard from Peter again. I was not cheating on my wife with Peter.” He looked around the room. “Look, I’ve violated Peter’s privacy enough already.” Stiles snickered and Derek threw a book from the table and hit him with it. “I’ve said all I’m going to say about this,” he said, then looked at Jackson. “Leave Peter alone. He is way more fucked up over this than you are. You knew you were adopted, he had no clue he’s ever been a parent until recently and he isn’t handling any of this well.” He stood up and held his hands up. “This all ends now. No more going after Peter, no more accusing Derek of hiding Peter, no more questions, no more lies. This is it,” he said with finality.

Jackson sniffed and nodded, looking at Chris. “I’ll be out by tonight,” he said and Chris sighed.

“Jackson, you don’t have to leave. You’re still welcome-“

“In the home of a person who has lied to me for weeks? Sure.” Jackson smiled sarcastically. “Yeah, I think not.”

Chris watched him storm out and shook his head, not bothering to go after him. 

~

A few days after Jackson moved out, Chris was called to Derek’s loft again. This time only Stiles, Scott, Derek, and Peter were there, thankfully. He sighed as he walked into the room and found them all sitting on the couches. “Please no more arguing,” he huffed as he flopped into the lone armchair, sitting across from where Derek and Peter were on the couch and to the left of Scott and Stiles on the loveseat. 

“No arguing,” Scott promised. “We just want to try and understand what this whole situation is about,” he said, gesturing to Derek, himself, and Stiles. 

“What is there to understand?” Chris asked. “Jackson is our biological son,” he said, holding his hands out wide to show that there was nothing else to it.

Scott shook his head. “But we don’t know how. I feel like this is important information to know. What if Derek accidentally knocks up Deputy Parrish-“

“For the last time, Stiles is making a joke, Scott,” Derek groaned.

Stiles leered at him. “Then why do you keep coming to the station to ‘talk to my dad’ when he’s on duty,” he teased and Derek rolled his eyes. “But yeah, this whole ‘male pregnancy’ thing is alarming and we want to be sure no future accidental pregnancies happen,” Stiles added.

Peter shook his head. “Can’t happen. From what Deaton said, I’m very, very rare. It happens only in born wolves, so only Derek could even possibly have it out of all of you, and even then, only every several generations usually. It’s extremely rare. So unless lightning struck twice in the Hale pack in two generations and Derek is secretly a bottom, you’re all safe,” he said and Derek gave him a flat look. 

Stiles snorted at the look on Derek’s face, but Scott frowned. “I’m still trying to understand how you got pregnant,” he admitted and Derek gave him a disbelieving look.

Stiles looked at Scott like he had grown a second head. “Scott, I gave you the ‘where babies come from’ talk when we were ten and a refresher course in safe sex when we were in eighth grade, I KNOW you know how babies are made,” he said. “Also, you’ve had sex, dude. You literally have participated in the act of sexual intercourse, and I swear to God if my safe sex slide show didn’t stick with you, I will drag you to the hospital and make your MOM test you for STDs dude,” he threatened.

Scott blushed some. “I meant that part, jeez!” he spluttered. “Like, this was the nineties, everybody was using condoms by then, so is there a risk of safe sex not working in magical weird ass werewolf male pregnancy?” he asked and Peter shot him a look.

“Look, Scott, I’m not an expert in this shit. I don’t remember being pregnant. I don’t know anything about it. Ask your boss, he’s the one that was my ‘magical, weird ass werewolf male pregnancy’ doctor,” he said. He shrugged. “Also, use this as a lesson in using condoms,” he added. “No clue if safe sex doesn’t work.”

Derek cringed. “Wow, details about Peter’s sex life. Add that to my list of things to mention in my suicide note,” he muttered and Stiles grimaced.

“Same here, Buddy,” he said. “Also, seriously, Peter? I really would’ve hoped with the HIV rate amongst men who slept with other men in that time-“

Chris bit back a laugh at the way Peter dramatically rolled his eyes. “Oh my God, I’m a werewolf, so I wasn’t gonna get anything he might have, and I was a virgin, so there was no way I could be a carrier for something he could actually get from me. We were both guys so we didn’t think condoms were ever a thing we had to worry about. Excuse us for being unaware that I could get pregnant before going bareback-“

“Oh holy God I didn’t need to hear that word come out of Peter’s mouth!” Stiles cried, hands over covering his ears. “Blaargh, Scott, lie to me and tell me I misheard.”

Chris couldn’t help but laugh. “Stiles, I’m pretty certain by seventeen years old you have heard plenty of more sexual terms than that-“

“NOT ABOUT PETER HALE!” he cried, sticking his tongue out and miming gagging. “Oh my God and you! Why the hell did you ever sleep with _that_?” he asked, pointing at Peter. “I know Argent’s aren’t the sanest people, but dear God-“

“That’s not nice,” Scott said with a frown. “Peter’s… okay looking,” he said and Peter raised an eyebrow.

“Gee, thanks, Scott. Such an ego booster,” he droned and Scott looked sheepish.

Stiles shot Scott a look. “Scott, he’s Peter Hale. I don’t care that he’s actually pretty damn hot, he’s _evil_ ,” he hissed. “He’s like … something super evil, okay?!” He flailed when he couldn’t find a comparison.

Chris chuckled and shook his head. “To be fair,” he admitted, glancing at Peter. “I shouldn’t have been dating you,” he said, and Peter crossed his arms.

“Oh yeah? The whole ‘star crossed’ werewolf and werewolf hunter thing finally makes sense to you, huh?” he asked and Chris smirked, shaking his head.

“Nah, that was fun, I got to stick it to my father, I meant the fact you were underage and I could’ve gone to prison for it,” he said and Stiles spluttered, shaken from his eyebrow conversation with Scott.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa… how underage are we talking?” he asked, looking stern.

Peter grinned. “Well, we had been dating a year when I got pregnant, maybe a month less, so I got pregnant about the time I turned eighteen. I was seventeen when we met, but only just.”

Chris grimaced guiltily. “I was twenty-three when we met, turned twenty-four in the middle of it all. I had finished college before I started dating a high school senior.”

Stiles looked somewhat creeped out. “Eww, that’s like if Scott and Derek were dating,” he said, and both Derek and Scott gave him scandalized looks. “Dude, you couldn’t have stuck it to your dad with someone your own damn age?” he asked, and Chris smiled sadly, looking over at Peter, who gave him a soft smile.

“Unfortunately, Stiles,” Peter said, looking to him. “That’s where it comes to the reason Christopher never knew about Jackson.” He shook his head. “We were going to run away together. It’s not like we were just screwing to stick it to our respective parent-figures. We were young and in love and naïve enough to think we could be together if we ran away together. We made plans to move to Virginia and never look back, and we meant it,” he said and Chris nodded.

“But two days before we were going to leave, Peter came at me with these horrible things about how he’d only dated me to break a hunter’s heart,” he said and Peter nodded.

“And that’s where Jackson comes in,” he explained gently. “I found out I was pregnant and knew that if Christopher’s father found out I was pregnant, or worse, that Chis got me pregnant, at least me and the baby would die, if not all three of us. And if we ran way together, Gerard would know we were dating and any slip about me being pregnant from Deaton and it would be over. He’d hunt us down.” He looked over at Chris, then back to Stiles. “I left him so that he’d be safe. I was eighteen and crazy about this older guy and I gave him up to keep him safe, and then when my child was born human, I did the same thing.” He shook his head. “I don’t remember this stuff. I just know from Deaton and a letter I wrote before my sister wiped Jackson out of my memories. She did the same to Derek and Laura.”

Chris nodded, smiling sadly as he looked over at Peter. “And my father had been pressuring me to marry my late wife so when Peter left, I said ‘to hell with it’ and did so. We had Allison a year later and I had no idea she had an older half-brother and I never heard a thing about the Hales again until the fire that I thought was the accident that we now know it wasn’t.”

Scott looked sad as he glanced between them. “Awww, but… you guys were an actual couple? That’s so… creepy and sad. Creepysad.”

Stiles and Derek both looked at him for a while before Stiles spoke up. “So the important part is, Jackson was a fluke and as long as everybody remembers condoms are your friends, Derek doesn’t have to worry about baby-Derek’s when he finally dates a dude?”

Peter chuckled. “No, Derek doesn’t have to worry about baby-Derek’s ever with that face, but if the person is blind enough to actually sleep with him, I’m pretty sure Derek is fine. Instead of a condom talk, I snuck pamphlets with photographs of really bad syphilis and diseased penises and stuff into his room, so I’m confident that lesson stuck with him,” he said and Derek groaned.

“I was eight and didn’t even know what sex was yet,” he said to Stiles, who burst out laughing.

It was only later after Peter had left and Scott and Isaac were playing video games with Derek that Stiles caught Chris in the kitchen when he’d gone to get a bottle of water. “Look… I’m sorry about us pushing this stuff,” Stiles said in a genuine tone. “Scott just needs to understand things about what’s werewolfy and stuff.”

Chris smiled at Stiles’s wording. “I can understand worrying when you find out a man had a pregnancy,” he said and Stiles nodded.

“But I’m still sorry what all is going on with it.” He waved a hand. “You deserve some peace finally. And Peter…” He groaned, rubbing a hand over his face, revealing how exhausted Stiles seemed to be after everything they’d all been through. “Look, I’ll never top the Peter Hale fanclub list, and I will never trust anything that man says or does after all he’s did to me in the past,” he stated, then met Chris’s gaze. “But this is all really fucked up for him. I cannot even fathom how hard this is messing up his already damaged mind. I- I have an idea of what it’s like to lose your mind AND what it’s like to not be sure of your memories about yourself,” he said and Chris winced in sympathy. “And to find out something so monumentally life changing was taken away from you? It sucks. A lot.” He shook his head. “I killed people. I killed people and don’t remember any of it. And that-“ Chris could see tears in Stiles’s eyes. “It is never going to stop making me want to just stop existing.” He looked up. “But Peter _created a life_. He was pregnant, and he gave birth, and he had a _son_ , and all of that was wiped away. All that time being pregnant, all that time preparing for being a parent, and whatever he felt about the pregnancy, if he was happy or didn’t want it, it’s- it’s just gone. It’s gone and as damaged as Peter already was, that’s just horrible,” he breathed, looking almost traumatized at the prospect of losing something so big.

Chris sighed, shaking his head. “It wouldn’t have been such a problem, I think, if the Peter he was then was the Peter he is now.” He shook his head. “Peter now is partially psychotic, so he wouldn’t feel the same about pregnancy and having a son. But instead, Peter’s discovered that the him he was then not only was selfless enough to give me up rather than his altered memory of me dumping him, but he lost the most important thing in his world.” He smiled sadly when Stiles tilted his head curiously. “Peter knows that he loved his baby.” He bit his lip and Stiles’s shoulders slumped some. “Peter loved so hard back then. He loved me enough he was going to give up his pack to run away with me, but instead he gave me up so I’d be safe. And he loved his baby while he was pregnant. He chose to be strong and be a good parent and he loved it, and I know exactly what that feels like because I loved my daughter the first time I heard her heartbeat at one of Victoria’s pregnancy checkups,” he said sadly, watching a tear slip down Stiles’s cheek. He was still somewhat amazed at how sensitive of a kid Stiles was after all they had been through. “The first time I held Allison, I was overwhelmed by how much I could love anything in this world,” he said with a soft chuckle. “Two minutes old and already I knew I would give anything in the world if I never had to stop holding her.” 

Stiles sniffled weakly. “And Peter lost all of that,” he finished for Chris, and Chris nodded.

“From what we know,” Chris said, crossing his arms and leaning against the counter. “As soon as he was healed and they realized for sure that the baby was human, he kept him for four hours.” He shook his head. “Four hours with his son and then he gave him to Talia and never saw him or heard about him again.” 

Stiles groaned, wiping at his face. “No wonder he’s so messed up since he found out. Even if he doesn’t remember it, knowing WHAT he doesn’t remember has to be horrible. Knowing that, in another life, he could’ve been a dad and raised a son, possibly with a husband, after how shitty his life is now has to be earthshattering.”

Chris nodded. “Peter has always been sensitive, but after all the trauma in his life, this has all really rattled him.”

Stiles looked at Chris for a while, then narrowed his eyes. “So. You and Peter Hale, huh? Wasn’t that a clash with your hunter code or whatever?”

Chris laughed in surprise but rolled his eyes, hopping up onto the counter with a groan. “May as well sit if you’re going there,” he drawled and Stiles gave him a pointed look. Chris shook his head with a nostalgic smile. “I never wanted to be a hunter, Stiles.” Stiles looked startled by this. “I hated it. I hated the idea of killing someone. I understood that it was necessary to take out those who were a danger to humans, but I didn’t want to be the one to do it. I had already killed werewolves by the time I got involved with Peter, but I’d been away at college for a while and while on a break from killing things that go bump in the night, I realized I didn’t want to spend my life doing it.” He shook his head. “I was always looking for a way out. I was managing by doing patrols on Hale territory since I knew Talia would never turn and hurt people. She was peaceful and her pack was, too.”

Stiles hummed. “Lemme guess. Peter wasn’t?”

“Of course he was,” Chris said, giving Stiles a disbelieving look. “He was your age. He was practically exactly like you, just a werewolf,” he said, eyes shining with realization. He grinned impishly. “Must be why he likes you so much,” he said and Stiles mimed gagging. “Peter wasn’t dangerous, he was mischievous. He liked to screw with people just for fun. He liked pranks and he liked getting others in trouble cause it was funny and he was a smartass who was good at getting what he wanted from people.” 

Stiles grimaced. “Crap, that totally sounds like me,” he agreed reluctantly.

Chris nodded. “I did day-time patrols, not just night ones, and it was spring break his junior year of high school. Peter was following me and throwing shit. I was losing my mind, I didn’t know what was going on. I knew someone was there, but he was fast and quiet, so I couldn’t see him. In the daytime, your hearing isn’t as heightened as in the darkness, so I couldn’t hear him.” He shook his head. “This went on for two or three days before I tripped finally over something he threw and I heard him laughing. I don’t think he expected me to run so fast, so when I caught him, he was a little scared but when I let him go he just realized he’d found a new way to pass the time.” He rolled his eyes. “Annoying little shit,” he said and Stiles made an amused sound.

“And how did that end up with… Jackson,” Stiles asked, grimacing.

Chris grinned fondly, looking down bashfully. “He’d follow me and run his mouth. Ask me impossible questions, tell me random crap, babble for no reason. For months he did that. One day he finally just got on my last nerve, and I think I meant to pin him to a tree and kick his ass or something, because he was so frustrating, but he was so gorgeous when he looked smug and I kissed him instead.” He looked up to see a faraway look in Stiles’s eyes, like he was trying to imagine it. “Hard to picture Peter like that now, isn’t it?” he asked sadly.

Stiles looked up and nodded. “Yeah, it is. How is that person who sounds – horrifically enough – kinda like my dad the same person that killed his own niece for her powers and then went on a killing spree?” He waved a hand. “I mean yeah, they were all in on the arson and totally deserved it, but still. Killing spree,” he reminded.

Chris’s chest hurt some as he tried to find a way to explain what happened to Peter without making it seem like Peter wasn’t at all responsible. He knew Peter was at fault, but it wasn’t _all_ his fault. “The Peter Hale I was going to run away and grow old with was the base-version of what he is now,” Chris started, struggling for words. He held Stiles’s gaze as he spoke. “And then, as far as he remembers, I broke his heart. I was his first boyfriend, I was his first love, and even though knows it’s a false memory now, to him, I decided last minute that he wasn’t worth it and married Victoria instead. He was shaped by that memory, and that first betrayal hardened his heart a lot. After I left Beacon Hills, my father didn’t have a clear second in command anymore, so hunters from other families came into town and that made Peter’s life scary. His whole pack lived in fear of when the other shoe would drop and, this time, there was nobody left to help because all the other packs ran away.” He grimaced. “And then after ten years of waiting on the edge, the tipping point came and my family burned down the Hale house with the Hales in it.”

Stiles shuddered. “That’s still… insane to think about.” He looked at Chris. “I’ve always thought you were an alright guy, but you come from a family of psychos,” he said and Chris shook his head, face hardening.

“I come from a family of monsters,” he said darkly. “What they did to that pack will never stop making me wish my father and sister were alive so I could make them suffer for it.” 

Stiles nodded. “I always figured you genuinely didn’t know. I mean, you could’ve been lying when you told us, but I didn’t take you for the type.”

Chris sighed heavily. “There were children in that house. There was a family that did nothing to deserve to die. _Peter_ was in that house,” he said softly, throat tight. He swallowed hard, looking down. “When I heard, I was … shaken. Badly. I thought it was an accident. I genuinely thought it was just a normal house fire until you brought it up with me. When I saw Peter, if I had had any reason at all to even suspect my sister or father were responsible, I’m pretty sure I’d have been in prison all these years-“

“Wait, what?” Chris looked up, shaken from his thoughts, to see Stiles staring at him in surprise. Stile’s eyes widened and his brain was clearly working overdrive. “You- you saw Peter after the fire?! You came back here to see him? A decade after and you still…” Stiles trailed off. “Shit, you were still in love with him,” he realized, and Chris grimaced. “Aw, dude,” Stiles groaned. “Really?”

Chris gave a strained smile. “Is that hard to believe?” he asked. “You know I didn’t marry my wife for love. I compartmentalized and did what would get my father to leave me alone. Ten years is a long time, but even if I forced myself to never think about him, it just meant I never went through the process of getting over him. I heard he alone survived the fire and I came to see him. It was far enough after the fire that they had already determined he wasn’t just temporarily catatonic.” He shook his head, swallowing hard. “I allowed myself one night. One night to talk to him, even if he couldn’t hear me, and to feel pain over what the fire had did to him. I realized that that fire hadn’t just damaged his beautiful face, but that he wasn’t my Peter anymore. He was just a shell of a person. Peter was gone and I would never get closure.” He smiled sadly. “And I didn’t. Not really. The next time I saw him, you lit him on fire. Again,” he said and Stiles groaned.

“You still have no idea how bad I feel about that,” he said. He held up a hand. “I mean, yeah, I wanted to kill him, but fire… that was just so not right.”

Chris nodded. “And after that, I didn’t have any interaction with him until I got back with Jackson and learned all of this. I knew he was alive and didn’t really give a damn.”

Stiles looked to him curiously. “What about now? You seem civil.”

“We’ve talked,” Chris said with an innocent shrug. “He may not be my Peter anymore, but –“

“But you still love him,” Stiles said sadly. He cut Chris off when he started to argue. “No matter what happens, in a way, you’ll always love him, won’t you? It doesn’t change anything, but it’s always there?”

Chris groaned. “Jesus Christ, why aren’t you a regular, stupid teenager? What is this shit. You’re too grown up for all of this.”

Stiles shook his head, looking sympathetic. “My mom’s been dead for nine years. I’ve spent nine years with a man who tried to compartmentalize the love of his life dying but failed. I recognize the look in your eyes,” he said softly.

Chris watched Stiles for a long moment before nodding and walking forward. “I forget how different you are than the rest,” Chris said as he passed Stiles, clapping him on the shoulder. “Just keep being different by not oversharing like the others and I won’t have to kill you for this conversation,” he said and Stiles laughed as Chris walked out, leaving Stiles alone in the kitchen laughing.

~

Chris was hopeful that now, for at least a little while, things would die down. He could go on with his life. It felt painfully empty to have nobody in the house with him, but he went back to trying and re-build his business. He started getting together all his licenses that would need renewing, he contacted some of his old suppliers to start building a new set of connections for different manufacturers, and he got in touch with old customers to see about what groups might need to update their weapons so he could get some sales started. It wasn’t much, but it was the semblance of a normal life once more. He wasn’t stupid enough to think that he could hang up his hunter gear for good, but for the time being, he hoped that he could at least stay out of things for the most part. 

He reached out to Jackson only once, to extend the offer of talking about anything he wanted to know, but then decided to let Jackson decide if he wanted to start a dialogue between them or not.

He didn’t talk to Peter, but he didn’t expect Peter to want anything to do with him either. In the end of all things, Chris cared about Peter. Peter’s whole adult life had been a train wreck and honestly, Chris just hoped Peter would find a way to start over somewhere far from Beacon Hills and try and be happy. 

When he was contacted an old friend he had hunted with in Washington, he wished more than anything that, if Peter had actually left town, he had taken all the other werewolves with him.

~

Chris didn’t call the kids first, he didn’t want to alarm them, but he had left a message on John Stilinski’s phone that some ‘visitors’ from out of town were passing through and that Chris was going to meet with them at the gas station on the edge of town. He left the date and time so that, should he go missing, John at least would know to warn the kids that things were going to get bad.

When Chris got there, there were two SUV’s parked near the road. He got out and made sure they could see the holstered weapons at his sides as he walked towards them. The first person to step out of the blue SUV was the very woman who had called him. “Chris Argent, as I live and breathe,” she said, stalking towards him with a smile. “Good to see you.”

Chris nodded, looking past her to the people getting out of their cars. “Wish I could say the same, Kennedy,” he said and she raised an eyebrow.

“Oh? Not happy to have some help hunting the fugitive?” she asked.

Chris rested a hand near the gun on his hip but didn’t make a move to touch it. “There is no fugitive in this town, Jones,” he said, looking at her hunters. “There’s nothing to hunt here. So I’m sorry you guys all wasted a trip-“

“Hold on, Chris,” Kennedy said, tilting her head. “Your father, before his heart attack, put a hefty bounty on a wolf that he confirmed killed humans-“

“My father was a murderer who wanted to eradicate the whole species,” Chris argued calmly. “But there are no murderers in this town that aren’t human. I’ve got things under control.”

She eyed him curiously. “You know… I heard about your kid,” she said and Chris’s heart clenched. “I’m sorry that those Oni got your daughter,” she said with a genuine nod. “But Chris, grief shouldn’t make you blind. I know the Hale kid killed your wife, and you let him live, so nobody will go after him,” she said, holding up her hands. “But your father’s bounty on this new one was high.”

Chris scoffed. “And who do you think you’ll collect it from?” he asked. “I inherited everything he had, and I’m sure as hell not paying any bounty for an innocent man.” He shook his head. “The Hale boy didn’t kill my wife, she tried to kill him and he defended himself. And this wolf my father’s inexistent bounty is on did nothing,” he said simply. “Hunters in France killed two humans to try and take out this wolf. Killed humans, Kennedy. My father had a vendetta against an innocent man, and I will not have hunting in my town.”

Kennedy eyed him curiously. “Chris. Somebody is going to take him down eventually. We’re not the only ones in town right now.” Chris stilled, looking her in the eye closely. She shook her head. “I know Luther is here. Possibly Casey, too.”

Chris cursed. “What part do you people not get?! There is no bounty! There’s no money to be had.” He stressed.

Kennedy held up her hands. “Hey, no money, none of my problem anymore.” She nodded to her people. “We’ll pack up and head out,” she agreed. “But somebody better find the others and tell them there is no money, because guilty or innocent, this werewolf has a bounty hanging over him and you can bet your ass somebody’s gonna try to collect.”

Chris watched as they all loaded back into the SUVs and nodded to Kennedy, standing his ground until they had driven out of the parking lot and headed away from town. He turned and headed back to his truck, pulling out his phone as he went, typing up a mass text to the kids as he went.

_Hunters are here. They still think the bounty on Jackson’s head is good. None of you are safe. Stay home and don’t go out._

~

Chris was barely asleep when his phone rang and he knew right away something bad had happened.

When he got to the Stilinski house, he could hear shouting as soon as he got to the front door. When he knocked, the door was yanked open and a shotgun was shoved in his face. “Whoa, it’s me!” he cried, holding up his hands. 

John lowered his gun, but he looked as angry as ever and no less dangerous in a thermal shirt and jeans than he did in his uniform. He let Chris in and then Chris followed him to the kitchen, grimacing at the blood all over the floor where everybody hovered around Scott, who was healing, but still bleeding from a deep gash to his side. His mother was on her knees beside him, trying to stitch him up to keep him from bleeding any more as he healed. “Jesus Christ,” Chris muttered and John nodded.

Derek was holding Scott’s hand, black veins rolling up his wrist as he helped with the pain, and Stiles was sitting behind Scott, arms around his friend’s chest and neck, crying into his hair. “It’s going to be okay, just breathe,” Lydia was saying as she held onto Stiles’s shoulder, standing behind them both. Kira was holding Scott’s other hand, leaning across the table as she watched Melissa stitching. 

Chris looked at John, who hung in the doorway, gun lax at his side. “Isaac and Peter are on their way. The called though.” John shook his head. “The other kid, Jackson – don’t know if you met him – he’s missing.”

Chris’s stomach clenched and he grabbed at the doorway. “Shit,” he breathed.

“Okay, okay, there.” Melissa stood up after taping a bandage down over Scott’s side. She stood up and pulled her son against her chest where he was sitting, yanking him out of Stiles’s arms. “It’s okay, Baby,” she said, hand tangled in his hair. “You’re okay.” She reached out and curled her hand other hand around Stiles, pulling him out of his chair and into a hug with Scott squished between their bodies. “He’s not going anywhere, Kid,” she said, and Stiles nodded, wiping at his face as he backed up some.

Scott didn’t stand, but he looked up at Chris. “Mr. Argent, I’m sorry.” He shook his head. “We were running and he was ahead of me and somebody got me with a machete, but Jackson was still running-“

“It isn’t your fault,” Chris said, shaking his head. “I’m just glad you’re alive,” he said and Scott nodded. He rubbed at his forehead. “I put off one set of hunters. They knew my father was dead so when I told them I sure as hell wasn’t paying the bounty on an innocent kid, they packed up and left. I have to get word out that there is no bounty. There’s nothing to be gained from this.”

Melissa frowned. “Why did your father have a bounty on Jackson? I thought hunters hunted by a code and then your father wasn’t even following the code because he was controlling Jackson?”

John waved a hand. “Wait, wait… _Gerard Argent_ is who killed all my deputies with all that business?” he asked, and Chris realized exactly how little had been clarified for John. “I thought your sister was the one that was psychotic.”

Chris smiled tightly. “Seems insanity only skipped me,” he said and John rolled his eyes. 

Stiles nodded. “Gerard was the one that did the thing to my face when Jackson died on the field that night,” he explained and John’s eyes grew livid. “Kidnapped me and beat me.”

John growled under his breath. “I’m going to kill an old man,” he threatened and Derek nodded to Chris.

“Too late,” he said and John and Melissa both gave Chris startled looks. He shrugged innocently.

John huffed. “And what does Jackson Whittmore have to do with Gerard Argent?”

Chris looked over at Stiles, who shook his head. “He doesn’t know anything apart from Jackson being a werewolf. Doesn’t even know why Jackson came back.”

Chris nodded and looked to John. “Gerard had a bounty on Jackson. He found out he wasn’t dead like he thought and that he’d instead escaped to Europe. His family was on vacation and hunters murdered Jackson’s parents,” he said and John paled rapidly. “Jackson came back with me and Isaac.”

“But why?” Melissa asked, walking over to the sink to wash her hands. “Why did Argent care if he lived? He was gone-“

“While he was controlling him, Gerard discovered that Jackson is my son,” Chris said without hesitation, startling the kids, who all jerked around to stare in surprise.

John stared. “He- he wanted to kill Jackson because he’s your _son_?”

“Long story,” Chris said. “But he’s my son from a relationship prior to my marriage and the other person was a werewolf,” he said, and Melissa turned to raise an eyebrow. Chris shrugged. “You can see why my father wanted him dead.”

John leaned against the refrigerator and rubbed a hand through his hair. “So there is a bounty on Jackson because a hunter and a werewolf had a baby and through no fault of their own, Jackson and Scott both could’ve died tonight.”

“I’m afraid so,” Chris said sadly.

Scott just gave him weak smile. “We’ll find him, Mr. Argent. I know we will.”

Chris shook his head with a chuckle at how, even after being attacked with a machete, Scott still found optimism in the situation.

~

They all decided to stay in the Stilinski house until the next day. John had given the girls his room, Stiles and Scott were asleep in his room, though Derek had stayed to sleep on the floor, and Chris, John, and Melissa all sat at the kitchen table drinking coffee until they eventually agreed to sleep in shifts in the living room. Melissa had been working all day, so they let her sleep on the couch and John kicked back in his recliner, his shotgun still resting across his lap as he tried to get some sleep.

Chris sat in the hall by the door, waiting for Isaac or Peter to come back as he sipped more coffee to stay awake. When the sound of footsteps coming up onto the porch sounded, he got up quickly and went to look out before they could knock. He opened the door just as Isaac was reaching out. He nodded inside and stepped back. However, Peter was still standing outside, looking out over the street with his arms wrapped around his middle. Chris turned to Isaac, who was glancing at sleeping Melissa and John, and nodded to the stairs. “See if Stiles and Scott will share,” he whispered, then stepped outside, leaving the door cracked some in case someone called for him. 

As he approached Peter, Peter glanced over at him, then turned back to the street. “We didn’t find a body… but we didn’t find him either,” Peter said hoarsely.

Chris sighed, leaning against the column beside Peter. “We’ll find him.”

Peter snorted weakly, shaking his head. “He’s our son, Chris,” he whispered in a brittle tone. “I find my child and before I even have time to finishing processing and try and get to know him, he goes missing.” He turned to look at Chris. “He stopped yelling at me. Just yesterday, he called me. He asked if I’d meet with him and- and just talk.” Peter closed his eyes. “ _Christopher_.”

That small, broken voice was impossible to ignore. Chris stepped away from the column and closed the space. He slid up behind Peter, curling his arms around Peter’s middle. “It’s okay,” he whispered, pressing his lips to Peter’s hair. “It’s okay.”

Peter let out a ragged breath and turned, sliding his arms around Chris’s neck. “ _Chris_ ,” he choked out, pressing his face to Chris’s shoulder. “He’s our son.”

“I know,” Chris agreed, pressing his lips to Peter’s temple. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the way Peter smelled the same as he always had when he breathed him in. “We’ll find him. I’ll do whatever I have to to protect our child, Peter.” He rubbed at Peter’s back soothingly. “I promise you, I’ll do whatever I possibly can.”

Peter relaxed his hold some, but didn’t move his head away from Chris’s shoulder. Chris shut his eyes and just rested his cheek against Peter’s hair, holding him close as they both tried to stay strong. 

~

Chris looked up as Peter came back into the hall with a bottle of whiskey and a blanket. He raised an eyebrow as Peter slid down the wall beside him, both of them looking towards the front door. “Whiskey?” he asked Peter, and Peter shrugged.

“There’s a full bottle. I can make an attempt to feel it,” he said with a sad smile. He took a long drink from the bottle and grimaced, handing it over to Chris. “God, humans are weird,” he coughed, shaking his head.

Chris laughed softly and took a much smaller sip. “Mmmm, John has good tastes,” he said, looking at the bottle. “I pictured him for a cheap whiskey kinda guy.”

Peter shrugged. “He had some of that, too,” he said, taking the bottle back. “Cannot believe you people like this stuff,” he said, scowling as he took another drink. Chris grabbed the blanket and spread it across their legs, setting his gun on the floor beside him. Peter sighed and slouched down to lean his head on Chris’s shoulder. “What are we going to do about the hunters?” Peter asked softly.

Chris bit his lip. “I’ve gotta get it out that there is no bounty. That’s all that I can do. I just don’t know how. I don’t know where any of them are staying and it’s not like hunters have some one-eight hundred number.” Peter chuckled weakly. “He got away, though. He got away and if you and the kids can find him, we can protect him while I sort out the hunters. If nothing else, I can have John get the department to start raiding motels looking for illegal weapons.”

Peter made a bitter sound, taking another drink. “I should’ve seen this coming. He finally reached out to try and start talking to me. Nothing good ever happens to me.” He shook his head, eyes somewhat wet. “I should’ve known better than to think it would start now.”

Chris smiled sadly. “Everything good I get in life is taken from me. I just assumed him hating me for lying to him was filling that quota.”

Peter snorted. “Look at the bright side. If he’s thinking about talking to me after I actually killed him that one time, you lying can’t be too bad for him to get over.” He shook his head. “I stabbed my own son with the intention of killing him, Chris. I carried a baby inside of me and then seventeen years later, I stabbed him with my claws. How is that even possible?”

Chris shook his head. “I spent a month with him and didn’t know he was my son. Now when I look at his face, I see it.”

“He does look like you,” Peter muttered, smiling against Chris’s sleeve. “No idea how he ended up blonde. Hale’s are generally carbon copies of each other. Your genes must be insanely strong.”

Chris shook his head. “My genes are incredibly random. You saw Allison. Head full of nearly black hair and brown eyes, and not a single person in my family has had dark hair or brown eyes in generations and her mother was a redhead.” He leaned his cheek against the top of Peter’s head. “With that attitude, I have no clue how I didn’t notice he was a Hale,” he teased and Peter poked him in the side with a grumpy sound. 

“You’re the one that dated a Hale, you picked that attitude,” he accused and Chris smiled tiredly as Peter drank some more. “I forgot how warm you are, Christopher,” Peter hummed, nuzzling into his side.

Chris closed his eyes. “We never spent the night together, did we?” he asked and Peter shook his head minutely.

“I’m falling asleep so get ready to experience something new,” Peter muttered and Chris laughed softly, sliding his hand into Peter’s on his lap. “If you lay me on this dirty floor when I’m out, I’ll murder you slowly, Argent.” Peter threatened and Chris chuckled into Peter’s hair and nodded.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Hale.”

~

Peter woke up to the feeling of someone taking away the warmth under his head. He whined and nuzzled closer, tightening his hold on the blanket and his pillow. He heard a soft, feminine chuckle and froze. He opened his eyes, blinking awake, only to see Melissa McCall in the doorway of the kitchen, watching as Chris tried to move without waking Peter up. Peter lifted his head, and Chris gave him a guilty look. Peter narrowed his eyes. “If you were about to lay me on the dirty floor-“

“Yeah, yeah, murdered slowly.” Chris slid his hand out of Peter’s and stood up. “I wasn’t gonna,” he defended. He reached out and Peter took his hand, letting Chris pull him to his feet. The bottle of whiskey rolled away down the hall and Melissa looked after it, then eyed them flatly. Chris held up the hand not still in Peter’s. “Hey, I wasn’t drinking, I was keeping watch.”

Peter yawned, tossing the blanket over his shoulder as he pulled his hand from Chris’s and stretched his arms over his head. “Don’t judge me, my son is missing, I’m allowed to try and feel the effects of alcohol. You gross ass humans drink the nastiest shit,” he said, brushing past Melissa to go into the kitchen, mumbled something about coffee.

Chris didn’t realize anything was wrong until Melissa turned wide, shocked eyes at him. “His son?” she asked and Chris froze. “Argent-“

He sighed, shaking his head. “It’s a really long, complicated story, Melissa,” he said, and she rolled her eyes. “He isn’t lying, I’m not lying, yes, Jackson is our son. Just- just ask one of the kids or something. I’m too tired and we don’t have time,” he dismissed, turning to head upstairs and wake up the kids.

~

Chris found them just as they found Jackson. 

John had got a call about a trespasser going through someone’s back yard just after six in the morning and Chris immediately went to go see what he could find. The werewolves took to the forest to try and track scent, in case Chris couldn’t find anything from the roads. It was broad daylight, in a children’s playground right outside of a neighborhood when he found them, and he was shocked to see that any hunters would corner a werewolf in such a public, open area. “LUTHER!” he shouted as he got out of his truck and ran towards them all.

Luther, a tall, imposing man, turned around. “Ah, Chris Argent,” he said, then gestured to where Jackson was on his hands and knees, chest heaving, looking exhausted, dirty, and terrified, like he’d been running all night. “Come to collect your body?”

Chris walked up to him, drawing his gun and aiming it right at him. “Everybody drop the guns now,” he called out to the six other hunters. Luther looked confused but gestured for the others to comply. 

“What’re you doing?” he asked Chris. “We’re just collecting on your father’s bounty-“

“My father was a psychotic monster,” Chris spat. “There is no bounty-“ Chris was cut off by a gunshot and a scream from the woods just beyond the park’s fence. He heard a howl and he turned just as Luther drew his gun and all the hunters with him all turned that same way. The person that climbed the fence wasn’t a werewolf, though, so Chris held his hands up. “Don’t shoot!” he ordered, turning his gun back to Luther. “Human girl, tell them to put down the guns,” he ordered, gun pressing against Luther’s head.

Luther held up his hands. “You heard the man,” he ordered, and Chris looked around to Jackson, who finally slumped onto his front, choking out tears of exhaustion as he finally was safe. “Chris, what’s going on-“

“Derek!” Lydia panted as she got to Chris, clutching at him. “Hunters. Woods. Shot him. Others- Others ran-“

“Lydia, Lydia,” Chris said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Breathe. Derek got shot by hunters in the woods just that way?”

Lydia nodded, shaking helplessly. “Kira- Kira was on my heels,” she said, looking worried.

Chris cursed. “Fuck,” he spat. He handed Lydia a gun and she looked at him wide eyed. “Stay here, make sure these assholes don’t shoot Jackson,” he said.

Luther looked startled. “Us assholes- wait, Chris, what the hell?”

“There is no bounty!” Chris said loud enough for them all to hear. “There is no bounty and that boy-“ he pointed at Jackson. “That boy is an innocent kid! I don’t care what my father said in his call for his murder, but that is an innocent kid and I swear to God if you hurt him, I’ll make sure you all pay in blood.”

Luther held up his hands. “Hey, hey we didn’t know-“

“Then make sure anybody else you know DOES know,” he ordered as he turned to walk away. “Any of you know other hunters, get the word out that NOBODY will be hunting in my damn town. Beacon Hills is my town and if anything needs killing here, I’ll be the one to do it.”

He heard Lydia giving orders and trusted her to be able to handle it. He ran for the fence and leapt it, checking his other gun for bullets as he ran towards where he heard another gunshot and more screams. He sprinted through the forest, only to stop and draw his gun immediately when he came upon a scene of hunters surrounding the others. “STOP!” he shouted, running down the hill. “Casey!” He called, spotting her. She looked up and frowned. 

“Argent-“

Chris heard the sound of a painful blow and turned, pointing his gun as the person who had just kicked Isaac. “STOP IT NOW!” he shouted. “Everybody, guns down and get away from those kids-“

“What the hell?” Casey demanded, stomping towards him. “We’re trying to get the job done-“

“Yeah, well, that one there isn’t even a fucking werewolf!” he cried, pointing to Stiles, who was huddling beside Scott, holding onto Scott’s bleeding forearm.

“We’re okay, but Derek and Peter-“

“No, we’re fine,” Peter gritted out, and Chris looked to see him standing over Derek, who was writhing in pain. Peter looked a little beat up, but Derek was the one with a bullet in his leg that Chris would bet was wolfs bane. “Now, if you’re done, I have somebody to kill,” Peter said, but Chris held up a hand.

“No killing anybody,” he said, then looked at Kira, who was kneeling between Isaac and Scott. “Go to help Lydia, she’s back the way I came, keeping the other hunters from hurting Jackson.” Kira nodded and jumped up, grabbing a knife from under the back of her shirt as she ran.

The hunters all looked confused and Chris sighed heavily. “Look, there is no bounty, and even if there were, these wolves are not the ones it’s for-“

“So?” she asked, frowning. “Chris-“

“No,” he said viciously. “Innocent kids. You would kill _innocent_ kids?”

“They’re werewolves-“

“THEY’RE KIDS!” Chris snarled. “Goddammit!” He shook his head. “I’m done.” He said simply, turning his gun on Casey. “Get your shit and get out of my town,” he said flatly.

She scoffed. “Chris, you can’t be-“ Chris dropped the gun and fired, startling a scream out of her when the bullet went two inches away from her foot. “Chris!”

“Get out of my town. Tell everybody you know to stay out of my town. If something needs to be hunted, I’ll do it, but these kids are my responsibility. If they ever slip, I’ll deal with it,” he stressed. “But not you, not Luther, not Kennedy, not ANY hunters besides me.”

“But Chris-“

“Oh for the love of God, woman,” Stiles groaned, standing up. “Fine, you want a better reason to run for it? Chris, what’s her full name?” he asked, pulling out his phone. When Chris gave it, Stiles read out loud what he was typing. “Casey Hawkins, brown hair, blue eyes, about-“ He looked at her. “Five-six. Accompanied by four others all with concealed handguns. Wanted for shooting a seventeen year old boy and a twenty-four year old man in the woods outside of Oakhaven Park. And send,” he said, hitting send. He held up his phone. “My dad’s the Sheriff. I’d say you have about an hour to get out of Beacon Hills before you and your compadres go to prison for a long time.”

Casey paled, looking at Chris. “Is he serious-“

“As a heart attack, lady,” Stiles said, walking over to hold the phone up to her face. “See that alert right there? That’s a report of shots fired from the neighborhood on the other side of the park-“

“Shit,” she cursed. “Fine, leave them,” she said to the others, and they all turned and started to jog off the way they came. She glared at Chris. “I get the message. We’ll all stay out of your way,” she said begrudgingly before turning to run after her friends.

As soon as she was gone, Peter turned and rushed to Chris. “Jackson? Where is he? Is he okay-“

“He’ll be fine,” Chris said, putting a hand on Peter’s shoulder. “Help Stiles and Isaac get these two back to John’s so I can take care of the wolfs bane bullets, I’ll go get Jackson, okay?”

Peter nodded reluctantly and turned to Stiles. “You heard the man, let’s go.”

~

Derek was pretty sick by the time they got him taken care of, but Scott was fine and so were the rest of the kids. Jackson was exhausted and had crashed as soon as they got him to the couch, which wasn’t surprising since he’d been on the run for nearly an entire twenty-four hours. By the time they were all done patching up Derek and Scott and cooling down after a stressful ordeal, Chris noticed that Peter wasn’t amongst the ones raiding the pantry and fridge and went to find him. 

When he walked into the living room, he stopped in the doorway because of the sight in front of him. Jackson and Peter were sitting face to face talking at normal tones. Both of them looked close to tears, but as Chris watched Peter take Jackson’s hand in his and Jackson not pull away, he had a feeling things might settle down between them after all. Chris turned and headed back to help Melissa and Stiles try to feed the starving teenagers and their voracious appetites instead of interrupt. 

After a while, Jackson and Peter came into the kitchen and when Chris raised an eyebrow at him, Peter had a small, happy smile on his lips. “He’s willing to forgive me. It’s a start.”

“He has to forgive you,” Stiles said, passing him. “You’re his mommy,” he cooed, ruffling Jackson’s hair as he passed, yelping when Jackson snapped at his hand. “Shut it, or I’ll tell your mom,” he chastised.

“ _What_?!” They all looked to see John sitting at the table, gaping. “Run that by me again, son,” he said and Stiles cringed.

“Aw shit-“

“Language,” Melissa said, swatting him in the back of the head.

John waved a hand. “I thought Chris was his father-“ Chris and Peter exchanged a glance. “Aw hell, I thought my life was as weird as it could get,” John groaned. “How?” he asked, sounding like he didn’t really want to know the answer.

Stiles patted his dad on the shoulder. “Well, Pops, when a mom and a dad _really_ love each other-“

“Stiles,” John said flatly, and Stiles grinned.

“When a born werewolf with a super rare genetic difference and a sexy older hunter do the do under the light of a full moon-“

“Ewwwww,” Scott whined, and Kira’s eye twitched as she stared at her plate, clearly traumatized.

“When Chris’s sperm reached Peter’s egg-“

“Nope, I’m out!” Isaac said, standing up and taking his plate out into the hallway.

John sighed, reaching out to put a hand over his son’s mouth. “Aw God, just stop,” he said and Stiles’s mouth may have been covered, but his eyes belied a downright evil smirk.

Chris laughed and shook his head. He grabbed a bag of chips out of the food piled on the counter and walked out to sit on the stairs, leaving the crowded kitchen while John and Stiles’s bickering continued. He looked up when a bottle of soda was held in front of his eyes and saw Peter smile before sitting beside him. “Thought you might like some company,” Peter said and Chris took the bottle, offering Peter a chip.

Peter grabbed a few from the bag and hummed as he leaned back on the steps behind him, looking at Chris. “You know, I’ve spent all this time freaking out for myself. I haven’t even stopped to think about how it all is affecting you.” 

Chris raised an eyebrow. “Peter Hale having selfish thoughts? Shocker,” he said and Peter smiled playfully, nudging him with his knee. Chris smiled and shook his head. “I’m okay now.” He nodded towards the kitchen. “Jackson’s safe, you’re safe, and I’m reminded that I’ve got a duty to help out these kids.” 

Peter gave him a smirk. “I’m safe? That’s one of your stipulations for being okay?” he teased and Chris rolled his eyes.

“Peter, you know it is,” he said and Peter’s smile softened into something secretive and warm.

Peter bumped his knee into Chris’s and looked at him searchingly. “So I was thinking.” He rolled his shoulders, still leaning back against he steps behind him. “We’ve been through a lot together lately, and we haven’t killed each other.” He raised an eyebrow. “Wanna get a drink sometime?”

Chris laughed in surprise. “You hate alcohol and you can’t feel it anyways-“

“Oh please, I’d drink diet coke or something, you humans are disgusting,” he stressed, sitting up straight. “Seriously, Christopher, if that shit last night was the ‘good stuff’, I weep for your taste buds.”

Chris grinned slyly. “You’re trying to get me drunk and out of my pants, aren’t you?” he accused jokingly and Peter faked a gasp, clutching at his chest.

“What do you take me for, Christopher, some sort of harlot?!” he accused and Chris rolled his eyes.

“I know what kind of harlot you are-“

“Wow, I lied, I don’t want to go on a date with you at all,” Peter said, throwing a chip at Chris, who just swatted it away with a bright smile. Peter’s smile softened and he slid his fingers along Chris’s forearm. “Look,” he started in a small voice. “You kissed me.”

Chris sighed some, looking down at the kitchen door. “Is it a good idea, though, Peter?” He gestured towards the sounds. 

“Chris,” Peter said flatly. “Was it ever a good idea?” 

Chris grinned and shook his head. “Guess it wasn’t,” he said searching Peter’s eyes. He groaned and looked away. “Damn it, whatever, sure.” He offered Peter another chip. “I could never say no to you, Peter. Those damn eyes. You beautiful asshole.”

Peter smirked and crunched the chip, slinging his arm around Chris’s shoulders. “Awww, I love you too, you sexy bitch,” he said as he chewed and Chris just met his eyes with a knowing look and a raised eyebrow. Peter rolled his eyes. “Oh fuck off, you’re still in love with me, Christopher, I’m not stupid.”

Chris scoffed. “Presumptuous,” he accused and Peter winked.

“Right,” Peter countered.

Chris grinned and shrugged, looking away as he cracked the seal on his soda. “Yeah, I guess you are,” he said simply, taking a sip of his drink and ignoring the smug look on Peter’s face at his side as they bumped knees back and forth.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [What Hunters And Wolves Do In The Forest A Night](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2111145) by [heartsdesire456](https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartsdesire456/pseuds/heartsdesire456)




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